No Man's Land
by Island Wolf
Summary: [Ashes to Ashes rewrite, Redorbshipping] Time had changed them both, for better and worse, but when the call came to march away they had both answered. They were still soldiers, but instead of gazing at each other across the No Man's Land they stood shoulder to shoulder in the Van. The battlefield was burning, but they were together and in the end that's all that really mattered.
1. Once more unto the breach

Hey guys long time no see! I've finally finished my and now I'm neck deep in my education degree (that's right I'm going to be a teacher mwahaha). So, I got wicked inspired by the Hoenn remake (Ahhhh so excited!) And I decided to rewrite Ashes to Ashes :). I know a lot of you said that it did not need a rewrite, but I feel too disconnected from the old one to finish it properly - that and I cringe every time I read it. Now, that said I'm ramping up the rating because I want to see if I can take a more mature take on the story and plunge into some new territory. As before this story is game based and more importantly May is obviously aged up so for anyone cringing about the pairing concept, you can breathe again. I'll apologize up front for any grammatical errors, I do not pretend to be an expert by any means so feel free to correct me!

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><p>The wind howled like a wounded beast as it slammed into the window, rattling the panes fiercely with icy claws as they raked against the glass. May Maple groaned softly in the darkness of her bedroom and wriggled her way further beneath the warmth of the heavy duvet, trying to ignore the storm raging beyond the curtains. Somewhere downstairs she could hear the phone ringing, but she merely rolled over and drew the covers over her head. If it was truly important they would call her cellphone which was -<p>

"Shit," May grumbled, coming to full wakefulness. Her mobile phone was downstairs in the kitchen, and heaven only knew who was trying to call her this early in the morning. She sighed and rolled over onto her back, listening to the shrill electronic warble. "Gabriel, can you get the phone!"

She waited, listening to the muffled sounds of movement downstairs and the phone's ring steadily growing in volume. The door to her bedroom was nudged open and the edge of the mattress dipped sharply as a large black and grey shape jumped up onto the bed. May grinned and scratched her Mightyena behind the ears as she plucked the phone out of his mouth. "Good boy," she cooed, continuing to pet him as she flipped the phone open. "Hello?"

"May! Finally, I was just about to hang up," a deep, masculine voice replied. "I just wanted to tell you not to bother to come in to work today, the weather is absolutely foul. It's not worth the trouble to prep and open for a Tuesday night."

"Well thank you for the heads up Nathan, but why tell me this at...6:30 in the morning?"

"The wife just got home from her contest in Sinnoh, I suspect I'll be finding myself indisposed for most of the day."

May huffed a laugh into the phone. Nathan had always had a bawdy sense of humour, but the man meant well and he was utterly faithful to his wife despite his flirtatious disposition. Still, a better employer and a better friend she couldn't dream of. She'd come to him nearly five years ago, practically penniless and draped woefully over the edge of his bar. He'd merely given her a smile, poured her a drink and offered her a job within five minutes of conversation. Bar tending at a cramped little pub on the outskirts of Littleroot was a far cry from being Champion of the Pokémon League, but it'd brought her more happiness than the League ever had. "You're a devil Nathan. Say hi to Lizzy for me, hopefully I'll get to see her before she leaves again."

"I will, take care May, I'll see you on Wednesday."

"Until tomorrow then."

May snapped the phone shut and tossed it onto the bedside table before flopping back down onto the bed. Any notions of falling back asleep, however, were immediately dispelled by a heavy pair of paws on her chest and a long tongue flicking across her nose. May sighed and scratched Gabriel beneath his chin. "Right, right you did get the phone for me. Fair is fair, let's get some breakfast."

The red-eyed canine barked and jumped down from the bed, standing with his tail wagging excitedly by the door. May flung back the covers, shivering as the cold air washed over her bare arms and legs. She shoved her feet into a pair of slippers, snatched her flannel housecoat up off of the floor and slid it on, cinching the belt loosely around her waist. Carefully, with her canine companion taking the lead, she made her way downstairs into the darkness of the living room. She flicked on one of the nearby lamps, blinking against the soft golden light that spilled into the room. She made her way over to the window and drew back the curtains. Outside, beyond her reflection in the cold glass, the world was nothing but a swirling white oblivion in the darkness of the early morning. The driveway was barely visible and nothing could be seen past the edge of the front garden. May shivered and dropped the curtain. Today would be confined to the couch with her large wool throw blanket, copious amounts of tea and bad movies. She felt her face split into a smile; paradise. She made her way out to the kitchen, flicking on the lights with her Mightyena hopping excitedly in place. She laughed and gently nudged him away with her foot. "Settle down, you're going to trip me up you silly goose."

She took down a can of poké-chow, frowning slightly as a few flakes of paint from the cupboard came away onto her hand. She really needed to sand those down and stain them properly. Mentally adding it to her to do list she turned on kettle and slid a few slices of bread down into the toaster before opening up the can of poké-chow and emptying it out into Gabriel's food dish. The Mightyena barked his thanks before tucking into his breakfast with gusto. A low whine echoed from the porch and May smiled, reaching up for another can of pokémon food. Her Manectric trotted into the kitchen, greeting her with a wide yawn as she lowered her front end and stretched, a few stray sparks dancing over her coarse blue fur.

"Good morning to you too Kella," she laughed and emptied the food into the electric-type's food bowl. Two more bowls lay empty beside the two canines, one for her Breloom and the other for her Absol, but the two were notoriously late risers and would wait until later in the day to come ask for a meal. The four pokémon from her elite team were her constant companions and she was more than content to keep them out of their pokéballs. Her Blaziken was also a usual sight to see roaming around the garden, but the large fire-type was a bit rough on the furniture and it was easier to keep him inside of his pokéball during the winter seasons when he was confined to the house The bright blue and gold pokémon bobbed her head in a manner of thanks before settling herself in beside Gabriel. May smiled and watched them eat while she waited for the kettle to boil and flicked on the radio wedged into the corner of the counter. It was part of a large stack of electronic equipment, scanners and radios that kept her well in touch with the various branches of law enforcement in the region – she might've not been the head of the League anymore, but she felt obligated to help in times of emergency. Dealing with eco-terrorists had given her a unique skill set after all. She cranked up the volume as The Searcher's cover of Love Potion Number Nine drifted into the kitchen. May swayed her hips in time to the music as she poured up a cup of orange pekoe tea and waited for it to steep while she buttered her toast. She felt something brush against her side and looked down at Garbiel with a half-smile. "Now, now you already had your breakfast greedy guts, keep this up you'll get fat."

The Mightyena sat back on his haunches, tongue lolling out of his mouth in a canine smile as he waited patiently for her to gather up her breakfast and head into the living room. She set the mug and plate down onto the coffee table and sat down, patting the couch next to her. The Mightyena needed no second bidding as he hopped onto onto the sofa and rolled over onto his back, nestling his head in her lap. May laughed and rubbed the soft grey fur of his underbelly.

"You big softie, you're just a big old lap dog aren't you," she said as Gabriel let out a contented growl and licked her hand. She chuckled and picked up her cup of tea. Without warning Gabriel's head shot up, ears pressed flat against his skull and lips skinned back over his teeth in a silent snarl. A moment later three knocks from the porch rang out. May held her breath, not daring to move until she heard another set of knocks, more forceful and insistent than the first three. Carefully she set down her tea and rose, pressing her back against the wall as she sidled out towards the door. Gabriel kept low and close to her side, every muscle taut as a coiled spring. Edging out towards the porch May raised a hand, making a fist aside from her two forefingers. Gabriel responded and dropped into a predatory crouch, jaws agape and ready to grapple as soon as May dropped her hand. Drawing a deep steadying breath she closed her other hand around the cold, metal knob and threw open the door.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing here!?"

Almost immediately Gabriel sat back on his haunches, all traces of aggression melting away as his ears perked up and his tongue lolled out. The silver haired man standing on the outside porch had clearly had a harrowing journey. Dressed warmly as he was in heavy, arctic weather gear his face was pinched, cheeks red from windburn and his steel coloured hair was dusted with a layer of ice. He gave May an awkward smile, his eyes flashing nervously in the porch light.

"Nice to see you too. May I come in?"

Azure eyes turned as frigid as the weather outside as May pressed her lips together in a thin line. She said nothing, allowing the Champion to stew in an awkward silence for a few moments before she finally relented and stood to one side, beckoning him over the threshold. "Kick the snow off your boots first, Kella likes to nap out here."

"Thank you," Steven mumbled, ducking inside out of the storm. May moved back a few paces, folding her arms over chest in a decidedly defensive stance directly in front of him, effectively barring him entrance to the rest of the house. Steven sighed, his shoulders dropping defeatedly. "May I -"

"Just start talking Steven and make it quick. This better not be another stupid bid from the League to get me back there."

"I wish it were only that," Steven sighed. "May we're in trouble – a lot of trouble, and we need your help."

May snorted. "I fail to see why the League needs my help, if you think I'll go crawling -"

"Oh spare me your selfishness for five minutes! This is bigger than you and me! We need your help because as of this morning Hoenn is in a state of unofficial emergency," Steven snapped, slate grey eyes blazing. May unfolded her arms, momentarily taken aback by the heat in the normally passive man's voice and felt a slight stab of guilt in the pit of her stomach. It must have shown because as quickly as it had come the anger faded from Steven's face and he sighed again. "I'm sorry May, I know the League has hurt you, I know I've hurt you, but we really do need your help."

May bit her lip and finally moved back, allowing Steven to remove his boots and coat and enter the living room. He paused for a moment with a small, sad smile and ruffled Gabriel's ears before sitting in the chair that faced opposite the couch where May sat herself down. She rubbed at her temples, trying to fend off the headache building there and exhaled deeply through her nose. "What's this all about Steven? What do you mean we're in a state of emergency? I haven't heard anything about this on the scanners."

His lips twitched as her usage of the word 'we' but he made no comment on it. "Tell me, have you ever heard of the Cipher organization?"

"Yes," May replied, narrowing her eyes. "David, the boy who took them down – he's my cousin."

"I know," Steven said with a nod. "Then you are fully aware of their practice of producing Shadow Pokémon."

"Of course – Steven what's this got to do with anything?" May asked, feeling fear coil tightly in her belly.

"They're back, and it's worse than ever this time," he said gravely. "From what our intel has gathered Ardos is the one at the helm. He managed to gather a significant amount of Cipher's assets before fleeing the Orre Region and setting up base in Kanto. He stayed under the radar there for the last three years slowly building up the group again with several – changes to their operation protocols. We didn't notice at first; they were clever _and_ patient. Over the past two years they have completely wiped out Team Rocket and they have the region in a choke hold; they've done the same to Johto. The governments' hands are tied, they can't do anything without putting citizens at risk. Ardos has a new breed of Shadows, far more aggressive than the first two generations and this time his people are not afraid to get blood on their hands – quite the opposite in fact. It's why they stayed out of our sight for so long...no witnesses left to report anything."

"And now they've set their sights on Hoenn," May finished, feeling slightly nauseous. "When? How long?"

"We estimate around two months ago; as you well know we have Team Aqua and Team Magma under close surveillance – a few weeks ago Team Aqua, every trace of them, completely disappeared. It was classic Cipher MO, the base had been stripped down to the foundation, all personnel missing and their assets seized by unknown corporations and false identities."

"Fuck," May breathed. She dragged a hand through her hair and stared into the depths of her now cold cup of tea for a few moments trying to process the information Steven had thrown at her. Every region had their crime syndicates and gangs – it was par for the course of being a population hub in the vast stretches of wilderness that filled the wide world. They were, however, usually localized and not much of an issue outside their designated spheres of influence. Cipher had been a different beast entirely. Three years ago had seen everyone glued to the news networks for a solid month following the drama unfolding in the Orre region, terrified that such a horrifying concept as Shadow Pokémon would leech out into surrounding areas and put them all beneath the heel of Cipher's boot. Now they were back and they had achieved what no other group had done – multi-region control at a terrifying level. If they managed to spread their influence much further, a global dictatorship was imminent. May let go of her hair and finally met Steven's gaze. "What's the plan then?"

"We're gathering all our assets, doubling security and police influence in areas of import and taking the heads of state into protective custody."

"Okay so you're battening down the hatches, that's all well and good, but this isn't just a storm you can weather Steven."

"I know," he replied. He plucked at a stray thread on the cuff of his shirt, trying his best not to look directly into her eyes. "You aren't going to like it though and I don't want you hitting me again."

"I promise I won't break your nose this time. Now tell me what our next move is – I'm assuming that's why you came here in the first place."

"Yes. We're, ah, we're meeting with a group that operates external to the League for a – a _consultation_. They have a certain level of knowledge and expertise regarding large scale criminal operations -"

SMASH

"You IDIOT!"

"By the Gods woman, just once, once I'd like to see you and not have an attempt on my life!"

Steven glared at her, doing his best to remain dignified while plucking shards of ceramic out of his hair and clothing. It was difficult, however, with his slate coloured hair plastered flat by cold tea and his shirt collar rapidly turning orange from the dripping liquid. May was on her feet, clutching the broken remains of the tea cup's handle where she'd smashed it over the League Champion's head. She threw the broken ceramic down onto the table and sat down with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You deserve it," she growled. "What are you all thinking!? Asking Team Magma for help, are you bloody mad?"

"We don't have any choice May, we've never faced a threat of this magnitude before!"

"I still think it's a bad move," she sniffed. "Am I correct in presuming that you want me to attend this farce of a consultation?"

"You would be," he replied, failing miserably to mop the tea from his hair and face with a rapidly disintegrating napkin. "It's in Lilycove in a few hours time."

Lilycove. She had to admit it was a smart choice; with no gym and no official League branch it was the closest thing to neutral ground while remaining in the relative safety of a large urban centre. Whether or not that was the Leauge or Maxie's brilliance, she didn't know, but she was banking on the latter. She sighed and finally uncrossed her arms.

"Fine, fine, just let me get some things. Do you have a strong flyer or are you planning to take me into town so I can withdraw one?"

"Drake loaned me his Salamance."

"You did that on purpose you bastard," she hissed, throwing him a clean napkin. "You know that stupid creature hates me."

"Dragons are proud and you managed to defeat it, of course it's going to be resentful. I had no other choice, no one else was strong enough to fly in this storm."

"Are you still talking about the lizard?" she muttered spitefully as she made her way upstairs to change.

"I heard that."

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><p>May couldn't hear Steven laughing so much as feel it. Her arms were locked securely around his waist and she could feel the chuckles vibrating through his shoulder blades as she screamed bloody murder. If the Salamance could have laughed he probably would have too as he banked sharply to the left, using the momentum of the turn to flick up his tail and land a stinging blow to her lower back.<p>

"Stupid, fucking lizard!" she screeched into the freezing wind. At least they had left the blizzard behind after passing Slateport. It had been touch and go for a while up until then and frankly she was shocked that Salamance's wings hadn't simply iced up and sent them plummeting from the sky. The prideful dragon had _some_ skill it would seem. At last the lights of Lilycove slowly came into view, breaking the gloom of the stormy morning like a beacon. Salamance angled his wings and started making a wide circle over the city, slowly spiralling down until he touched earth in front of the grand Lilcove Hotel. May's legs barely supported her as she slid off of the dragon's broad back and reluctantly allowed Steven to take her arm. She'd much rather lean on him than fall flat on her face in front of Maxie and his goons – it wouldn't do much for her reputation if she did.

The warmth of the lobby washed over her and she sighed in relief. Flying at high speeds in the face of gale force winds had been brutally cold, even in the arctic grade winter gear Steven had provided her with. Her face felt raw and started to sting painfully with the sudden shift in temperature. Still, she'd gladly take the pain over going back outside.

"We're in the board room upstairs," Steven murmured as they stepped into the elevator. "Wallace is here for us since Sootopolis is the closest major city with a gym. Maxie is here with Tabitha, but no doubt he has others stationed nearby. Our main goal here is to negotiate a truce and some sort of working contract. Maxie is no fool, he knows that his organization is Cipher's next major target and that without our help he's as good as dead...however he also knows that without him, our goose is also thoroughly cooked."

"So he's going to fight for as much ground as he can get. Understood."

"We don't need you to do much, you're mainly here for intimidation purposes."

"Bit ironic don't you think?"

"You are plenty bloody scary when you want to be," Steven muttered as the doors slid open, granting them access to a wide hallway that ended in a pair of closed double doors. "Here we go."

May nodded, taking a deep breath as she let go of Steven's arm and he opened the doors. All eyes in the room turned to them. On one side of the table she saw Wallace, tall and serene as always, sitting across from two men. Tabitha looked very much as he had ten years ago, minus the absurd hooded uniform. He had apparently swapped it out for a crisp black suit and tie and a black earpiece no doubt keeping him in touch with other grunts in the area. Maxie sat next to him and she was hard pressed not to stare; he looked nothing like she'd expected. Like Tabitha he hadn't aged much, a few more lines about the corners of his eyes and mouth maybe, but there was no trace of grey in his fiery red hair and his dark brown eyes were sharp as ever, regarding her coolly over the rims of his glasses. They were simple things, rectangular lenses held by slim black frames, but they suited him in a strange way. His hair was longer than it had been years ago, elegantly combed back with the edges falling just past his broad shoulders. Gone was the bold red and black overcoat she'd once feared replaced by an immaculately tailored suit and a stately coat draped gracefully over his shoulders. He looked so – so _normal_. Indeed the only trace of Team Magma she could see on either of them was the small, stylized pin shaped into a red 'M' pinned to the lapels of both their suit jackets. He looked her up and down once before looking away and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Wallace rose to greet them, shaking Steven's hand. "Glad you made it, we were starting to wonder whether you'd manage to break through the storm."

"It was dicey for a while, I'll admit," Steven replied as they took their seats. "Now then, I've already briefed May on the situation so we can get right down to it. Maxie, what has your surveillance turned up?"

Maxie stood, clasping his hands behind his back. His velvety tenor soon filled the room and May's lips twitched in a small frown. It was the same voice from her childhood, but without the twist of maniacal laughter and extremist heat it was, like his outward appearance, so normal. It was unsettling.

"Team Aqua has been quite cleanly wiped from existence, as you know. The swiftness of the attack leaves me to believe that there had to have been a Cipher agent in their midst which means other Cipher spies have probably infiltrated my own organization and the higher stations of Hoenn's government. Another attack is imminent, this we know, it's just a matter of where and when," he said. "Furthermore we have picked up some unusual seismic activity in several parts of the region – this is likely Cipher related construction for Shadow Pokémon production facilities and regional bases of operation."

"This confirms most of our reports," Wallace nodded. "It's very likely that aside from eliminating potential resistance Cipher is actively seeking out Hoenn's legendary pokémon."

"How do we know that they haven't been taken already?"

"I can't speak for the others, but Groudon is safe," May interjected. Maxie's smouldering gaze slid over to meet hers and he raised an eyebrow.

"How can you be sure of this Miss Maple?" he asked and the corners of his mouth curved upwards into a nasty smirk. "As far as I'm aware this is the first time you've left Litteroot in almost a year, let alone visit the Cave of Origins."

May felt the heat rising to her face, but she refused to break eye contact and held his gaze steady. There was the Maxie she knew, the acerbic and bitter master of Team Magma. This was a man who played life like a game of chess and enjoyed humiliating every opponent he bested. She suppressed a shiver as she felt her adrenaline levels spike ever so slightly, the long absent, but familiar rush. Oh how she'd missed it. "Groudon and I have a bond. When I confronted him at the Cave of Origins and put him back to slumber he recognized me as a friend – a companion of sorts," she said and her voice twisted into a snarl, "no thanks to you might I add."

Maxie's smirk twisted into a leer, but he kept his silence. Steven abruptly stood, clearly trying to put a stop to the grudge match that was slowly forming in the board room. "The well-being of Groudon and the others aside, let's get to the point of this meeting. We're here to negotiate a truce and alliance between our two parties."

"Yes," Maxie nodded, finally looking away from her. "Name your terms."

"Any and all information collected pertaining to Cipher and their actions will be shared between us and that should the need ever arise, assistance will be provided in the case of a confrontation with their agents."

"Agreed," Maxie nodded, "However, there is still the issue of trust. You don't trust me, and frankly I don't trust you. If this..._partnership_ is to yield any form of success we will have to find a way to ensure that there is no duplicity on either end."

"So it's collateral you want."

"To put it bluntly, yes."

"I think have an idea."

May fidgeted slightly as all eyes turned on her. Again she felt a spike of epinephrine surge through her bloodstream and relished the sensation. She looked between Steven and Maxie; had tempting the tempers of titans always been this thrilling? "An exchange of personnel. One member from each side. This way we can keep an eye on each other as well as holding the – collateral you wanted."

"And just whom do you propose take part in this exchange?" Wallace asked, bright eyes narrowing. May smiled and laced her fingers together.

"Me," she said. Steven shot up from his seat, looking at her with a startled expression, but she shot him a warning glare. "Sit down Steven, you know damn well I'm the only one who is expendable enough to qualify. Do we have a deal Maxie?"

"Yes, I think that should suffice. Tabitha shall take your place and go with the League," Maxie said with a small smile – a smile she decidedly did not like, "and you will come with us back to our headquarters."

"Done."

"Not done!" Steven snapped. "May this is highly inappropriate -"

"I said sit _down_ Steven!" she snapped. "This is our best option, I'm doing this for everyone's sake. Done!"

"Done," Maxie agreed with a voice like wet silk and briefly grasped her outstretched hand. "Then our business here is concluded."

"...Yes," Steven said as they rose, May moving to stand by Maxie while Tabitha took her place next to Steven. May could see the storm of rage brewing behind Steven's steel coloured eyes, but she shook her head softly. "We'll set up a time for regular debriefings."

"I look forward to it," Maxie replied dryly before turning sharply on his heel. "Come, Miss Maple – we have a long commute."

May pressed her lips together, but remained silent as she followed the crimson haired crime lord out of the room and down the stairs. The doors of the lobby parted and a blast of icy air washed over them as they walked out into the stormy night. They'd barely made it down the front steps of the hotel when a length of black fabric was looped over her eyes from behind and tied firmly in place. She cried out and reached up to claw it off, but found her arms held down.

"Calm down Miss Maple this is merely a precaution," she heard Maxie say frighteningly close to her ear. "We can't have you knowing the exact location of our hideout."

"This is ridiculous!" May seethed as she was roughly led into some sort of vehicle, an SUV of some sort judging from the size and seat configuration. "I offered to go with you in good faith, you really think I'm going to betray you?"

"No," Maxie replied from somewhere nearby, "but you are loyal and therein lies the problem. I don't want you reporting every little detail to Steven Stone and his League lackeys."

"Still," May huffed as she leaned back in her seat and someone fastened the seat belt over her torso, "this seems a little excessive."

"I haven't lived this long by being careless," came the dry answer. "If you prefer I could have you sedated – how do you feel about chloroform?"

"I'll pass thanks."

"Do cheer up Miss Maple, you volunteered for this little escapade remember?"

"Oh piss off."

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><p>Tadaaaa<p>

I realize this chapter seems deucedly similar to the original in places, but this _is_ a rewrite after all so that's going to be unavoidable in some parts. Anywho, I hope you peeps enjoy it and I'll try to update on a more regular basis than last time. Ta darlings!


	2. Give the Devil his due

Island Wolf: Hey peeps, time for an update! :) I'd like to say thanks to everyone who favourited, followed and reviewed - you guys are too sweet! I would just like to stress again that if you guys notice any glaring grammatical errors or see anything you really don't agree with just send me a message or tell me in a review; I love constructive criticism, that's how I learn and it's really quite helpful! And y'know if you see things you like feel free to comment on those too :3 Anywho, onwards to chapter 2!

Disclaimer: I dun goofed last chapter and forgot to put this in - I do not own pokemon, or any of its characters unfortunately. I just like to play with them from time to time.

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><p>May quickly lost track of time as they drove. She'd long since given up trying to count the number of turns and mapping their route in her head. All she'd managed to figure out was that they were headed north, perhaps north-west. To be completely honest she was getting fairly nauseous as her body was subjected to the unexpected shifts in position, taking sharp turns she couldn't prepare for. She tilted her head back against the seat rest, taking slow, even breaths through her nose – it would be extremely undignified to vomit all over the back of the car. She'd almost managed to doze off when the vehicle jerked to a sudden halt and she wound up slamming her nose into the back of the seat in front of her, eliciting a quiet snigger from someone nearby. The door next to her was opened and her blindfold was unceremoniously ripped off, leaving her blinking against the sudden brightness. Half-blind she nearly jumped out of her skin when someone took her by the arm and brusquely pulled her out of the SUV. She heard the swish of automatic doors and felt warmth wash over her as the entered a building. Her vision slowly cleared and she saw that they were standing in a lobby-like area. It was a sleek, modern design; the walls were black with silver and red decor breaking up the dark expanse, the colour pallet matching the reception desk and stylized seating areas. The floors were black marble that glittered subtly in the fluorescent lighting, polished to a mirror-like finish. All in all it was, to her great surprise, an incredibly stylish space.<p>

"Finished gawking yet?" Maxie sneered as he entered her field of vision. He held out his arm and gestured for her to take it. "Come, I'll show you to your quarters."

She looked at the proffered limb incredulously. "Beg pardon?"

Maxie rolled his eyes at her scepticism. "Your living quarters Miss Maple – please, I am a gentleman, but you are starting to try my patience."

"My apologies, I just don't recall you expressing such gallantry to me in the past." May retorted as she looped her arm through his. He smirked, but said nothing as he started leading her down the maze of hallways. It wasn't long before she realized why he'd wanted to keep her close. She recognized many of the faces they passed, having battled them personally in the old Lilycove hideout and the undersea cavern where they'd first found Groudon. Gone were the brazen uniforms of the past, replaced by simple well tailored business suits, but those eyes still blazed with the same bitter hatred they had held ten years ago when they saw her. "Friendly staff."

"Which is why you are not to wander these hallways unless accompanied by myself, or at the very least one of your pokémon and only with my expressed permission. There are a lot of people here who remember you and the humiliation you subjected them to and more than a few of them would like a little...retribution. Do I make myself clear?"

"Inescapably."

"Good," he said as he led her into an elevator, seemingly determined not to look at her. "I have taken the liberty of having some of your possessions transported here. Oh, don't looks so hopeful, we are not giving away this location to your compatriots at the League by doing so."

"I'm not concocting some grand plot to take down your organization," she sighed and then looked at him with a wicked smirk. "I've already done that once before."

He glanced down at her and flashed her the ghost of a smile. "Perhaps, but I'm a suspicious individual by nature and you know what they say about old habits."

After a pregnant silence the elevator lurched to a halt with a muted ding and the stainless steel doors opened with a soft hiss to reveal another long corridor. Unlike the ground floors this hallway was devoid of any other Magma personnel and was dead quiet aside from the soft hum of the lights and the distant wailing of the winter wind. He led her to a steel door at the far end of the hall complete with a numbered keypad. Faster than she cared to observe he punched in a six numbered code and the door slid open. The automated lights switched on as soon as the door had opened revealing a small, but cozy looking suite. The walls were a dark shade of burgundy and the floors were outfitted with plush beige carpeting that matched the armchair wedged into the corner and the heavy duvet draped over the queen sized bed. A curtained window was set in the wall by the bed and a narrow hall led to what she presumed was a bathroom. Her shock must have shown because she heard Maxie laugh.

"What? Were you expecting the dungeons? I assure you that can be arranged."

"This will do I'm sure," she replied, rolling her eyes at his poor attempt at humour. He smirked and turned away from her.

"My quarters are on the uppermost floor should there be an..._emergency_. Now, I expect you in my office at seven AM sharp – it's two floors up from this one, last door at the end of the hall," he said.

"And what is it that I will be doing exactly?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at his back. Maxie glanced at her over his shoulder, dark brown eyes regarding her carefully over the rims of his glasses.

"Whatever I tell you to. Oh, and don't think about trying anything - I'll be watching."

With that he stepped over the threshold and the door slide shut behind him with a soft hiss. It was then that May noticed the small security camera sitting ominously up in the corner just above the door, looking down into the main part of the room.

"Oh you sick fuck," May spat, pulling her lips back over her teeth in a sneer before reaching down and plucking a pokéball from her belt. She enlarged the white and red capsule and depressed the centre button. It opened with a mechanical click and bright light shot forth, rapidly solidifying into the shape of her Mightyena. The canine turned tightly in place, ears picked and tail raised curiously as he studied his surroundings, so suddenly foreign. May dropped down to her knees and he immediately trotted forward into her open arms, rearing up on his hind legs to drape his forelimbs over her shoulders in the canid version of an embrace. May sighed and buried her face in the thick fur of his neck. "What the Hell have I gotten myself into?"

Gabriel growled low in his throat and pulled away, wagging his tail in a comforting manner. Cracking a small smile she reached out and scratched him behind the ears. "Right, right I'm up to my neck in this mess now, it's too late to go feeling sorry for myself. C'mon let's try to get some sleep."

May rose and suddenly realized that she had no form of spare clothing or nightwear. Swearing under her breath she cautiously made her way to the bathroom. It was small, but there was a well equipped stand up shower and a brightly lit vanity – and it was thankfully camera free. She quickly wriggled out of her jeans and removed her bra, leaving her in her underwear and sweater she'd hastily donned before leaving Littleroot. It was a far cry from her flannel pyjamas, but it would have to do – she _hated_ sleeping in denim. She all but ran to the bed, flipping the security camera an obscene hand gesture as she dashed by. She slid beneath the duvet and was very pleased to find her bare skin greeted by Egyptian cotton sheets; Maxie might've been a self-righteous bastard, but the man had good taste...at least where room furnishings were concerned. Gabriel jumped up on the bed shortly after and settled himself down by her feet, though no doubt he'd end up on her pillow by morning. He'd always been sneaky like that.

* * *

><p>Maxie folded one leg over the other and slowly stirred his coffee as his eyes travelled over the sprawl of monitors lining his desk. His lips twitched in a fleeting smile at the middle finger that flashed across one of the screens as a lithe shape dashed across it. Good, let her feel uncomfortable – if he was going to be stuck with her he was damn well going to get some sport out of the situation. He took a deep swallow of his coffee and lowered his gaze to the dossier open in front of him.<p>

May's picture was clipped to a thick stack of files, some were official legal documents, others were hand-written notes and photographs, all tracking the former Champion's movements since her first ascension into the League all those years ago. Maxie smirked behind the rim of his mug. Hoenn's heroine wasn't the pure little paragon anymore it would seem. Just over four years into her reign she'd dropped out of the League. Soon after she had disappeared from the public eye, become a near penniless recluse drifting from region to region - she was even homeless for a short time...well, well.

The former crime lord leaned back in his chair and flipped the file closed. She hadn't changed much physically, a little taller perhaps with a more womanly figure than she'd possessed ten years ago (that had been plain to see on the monitor), but one thing was certain; May Maple had grown up, the rose coloured glasses had been smashed and her iron will had been tempered and hardened to cold steel. There was no fear in those brilliant azure eyes when she looked at him and her tongue, as sharp as her gaze to be sure, was dying to pick a fight.

And he _loved_ a good fight.

* * *

><p>May wasn't sure if it was Gabriel's tongue sliding wetly against her cheek or the incessant knocking on her door that woke her up. Groaning, she reached up to push away the canine's face. He whined and sat back on his haunches while she got up from the bed, hastily wrapping a sheet around herself. She glared at the camera and indelicately flipped it the bird. This was going to be a morning ritual she could tell. Without warning the door slid open to reveal a middle aged woman in a crisp business suit standing at the threshold. She cut an imposing figure; there was nary a wrinkle to be seen on her clothing and her greying hair was tied back in a severe bun. She was holding a large duffel bag, but as soon as the door opened she dropped it unceremoniously onto the floor.<p>

"Ummm..."

"These are yours, Mr. Stone arranged to have them brought here for you," the woman said tersely. With that she turned sharply on her heel and walked away.

"Rude," May grumbled and pulled the duffel bag inside. She hefted the large bag on the bed and opened it, sighing with relief when she saw the spare clothing and toiletries inside. "Thank you Steven!"

She pulled out a pair of black dress slacks and a blue silk blouse, laying them carefully on the bed before digging around in the duffel bag again until she found her shower supplies. Raising her middle finger to the camera one last time, she dropped the sheet and headed into the bathroom. The shower was a little slice of heaven. May sighed contentedly as the hot water sluiced over her bare skin, slowly working out the tension from her muscles. She leaned her head back against the tiles, enjoying the contrast of the cold ceramic tiles against her heated skin.

"Fuck," she breathed. The gravity of what she was about to do was settling heavily on her shoulders. She was going to be working for Maxie, following his orders, doing his bidding, act the part of his little lackey – it was going to humiliating. The man had a vindictive streak a mile wide. Still, this had been her idea so there was no use griping about it now. It wasn't so bad really, the room was comfortable and he'd been more civil than she'd expected. Reluctantly, she got out of the shower and quickly dressed (in the relative privacy of the bathroom...she really had to do something about that camera). She didn't bother to dry her hair, but rather twisted it up into a loose bun, she was going for functional here – Maxie was the last on her list of people to impress. She left the room with Gabriel in tow and rode the elevator up two floors. The metal doors parted to reveal a hall way practically identical to the one she'd just left save for it ended with a set of black double doors bearing the Team Magma emblem in scarlet. Taking a deep breath she knocked three times and a muffled voice bade her enter.

It was a larger space than she'd anticipated, but very well designed. The floors had the same black tile finish as the lobby and the walls were painted charcoal grey set with silver light fixtures at regular intervals. The rear wall was made up entirely of massive windows whose height spanned from floor to ceiling, letting in a great deal of natural light – or would have were it not still the gloom of predawn. Still even in the darkness she could make out a forested river valley sprawling in the distance. It was a lovely view she had to admit, and judging from the height they must have been situated on a plateau overlooking the valley. Looking back at the room she saw a large desk situated in the office's centre, piled high with stacks of paper work and a large spread of monitors, some screening security footage from various parts of the building and others projecting data readings from seismic monitors and other equipment stationed around Magma's various outposts in the region.

Maxie was sitting in his office chair, back to her and made no move to acknowledge her presence. May felt her mouth twitch in the first stages of a sneer. He was doing this on purpose she knew, but she wasn't going to rise to the bait. She swallowed her anger for the moment and cleared her throat audibly. "You did say seven o'clock right?"

There was a beat of silence before the chair swivelled around and he finally turned to face her. He was dressed very similarly to yesterday, though he'd removed his suit jacket and draped it over the back of the chair. He made no effort to be subtle as he looked her up and down over the rims of his glasses. "I did," he nodded. "Since Tabitha has gone with your compatriots you'll be taking over the majority of his more mundane duties. You'll be spending your days up here with me, compiling data readings and highlighting any anomalies. I trust you can handle it?"

There was a challenge in his voice, a question of her competency. Well if that's how he wanted to play...

"Oh I think I can," she replied with a smirk. "I just hope you can keep up. Reading must be such a strain at your age."

His eyes narrowed, but he smiled and gestured to the empty office chair beside him. "Well then we better get started. Oh, and I have to say I approve of your choice of pokémon Miss Maple."

May chose to ignore the remark and quietly took a seat. Well, at least it was comfortable. She picked up the notepad and pen that had presumably been set out for her and started to scan the spread of monitors. "You might want to at least give me the specifics of the monitoring system if you want an accurate record."

"I want you to focus on the monitors on the bottom two rows, they monitor seismic and oceanic activity throughout Hoenn. Spikes in regions of interest will be noted as targets of future investigations." he replied without looking at her as he pulled another stack of paperwork in front of him. May frowned, but turned back to the computers nonetheless. They lapsed into tense silence, she watching the monitors, he slowly plodding his way through the stacks of paper work taking up a great deal of space on his desk. Speaking of which...

"So, where exactly do you get the funding for all of this?" she asked, not looking away from the span of computers.

"I sense an accusation in there," he said, smirking ever so slightly in her peripheral vision. "If you must know it's all perfectly legitimate. Not all of my activities were of questionable legality, I happen to have an expansive business empire in Hoenn, a perfectly _lawful_ one."

"Alright, alright no need to get shirty," she grumbled. A flash on one of the monitors caught her eye and she hastily jotted the information down. "Hey, look at this – Mount Chimney is producing some strange seismic output, even for a volcano. The latest vulcanologist reports state that it should be in a dormant state, we shouldn't be seeing these kinds of readings."

Maxie removed his glasses as he leaned closer for a better look at the flashing monitor. He frowned and made a small noise in the back of his throat before replacing his spectacles. "Hm, you're quite right. We've been picking up similar readings for the past week. It's likely Cipher-related construction – it's the perfect place for a regional base of operations, hard to get to if the lift is shut down and you can see an assault coming from miles away from the top of the mountain."

"Should we inform Steven?"

"I will inform Mr. Stone myself later this evening Miss Maple. Now, if you would please return to your duties."

"Yes Sir."

It wasn't long before the hours started to blend together. A snow squall had picked up across the valley, severely reducing visibility much to her displeasure – she'd been hoping to at least watch the sunrise. She rested her chin on the heel of her hand, staring out at the swirling wall of white buffeting the windows. A chill had started to creep up her spine and it was suddenly very hard to breathe...

"Miss Maple!"

The sound of Maxie's voice, sharp and commanding, snapped her out of her reverie and she sucked in a desperately needed breath of air as she clutched the edge of the desk, trying not to fall out of her chair. "Gods dammit!" she hissed, placing a hand over her pounding heart. She glared at him and was met with a raised brow and a look that was half amusement and half irritation.

"Ah, decided to rejoin us have you?" he remarked snidely. "I was under the impression that you were a competent individual, was I wrong?"

"I beg your pardon?" May sniffed, reseating herself and straightening her blouse. He smirked at her nastily and gestured to one of the computer monitors. May felt her face heat up as soon she saw the flashing window in the top right corner of the screen, highlighting a sudden and severe drop in oceanic temperature in the great trench. It had only lasted for three seconds before the temperature had returned to normal, but she had missed it in her state of distraction. "I – I –..."

"That will be all for you today Miss Maple, you will return to your quarters immediately," Maxie said, setting down his pen and leaning back in his chair to fully face her. "Your evening meal will be brought to you there and you shall remain confined to quarters until tomorrow when you will join me here at o-seven hundred."

"But I -"

"Dismissed Miss Maple, Admin Courtney will be taking over your duties for the night shift. I suggest you vacate before she arrives – she has already expressed great displeasure at your presence here."

"Fine," May spat. Humiliating Courtney in front of her boss was a tempting prospect, but right now it felt like her head was about to split open and her blouse was starting to soak through with the cold sweat she'd broken out in. Gabriel followed her, emitting a low whine as he kept as close to her side as he could. Maxie watched her go before his earthen brown eyes flicked over to the security monitor to see her enter the room and promptly fling herself down on the bed where she lay unmoving. He frowned as he watched her – he wasn't sure what to make of her little episode. Her medical records were clean, but that had not been a simple case of daydreaming. She'd been staring out the window when her eyes had glazed over and all the colour promptly drained from her face. He'd have to keep an eye on that.

Maxie shook his head and picked up his pen again. Oh how he despised paperwork, but alas it was one of the cons of managing an organization of this size. Didn't do much for his carpal tunnel though.

* * *

><p>"That was fucking awful," May groaned into her pillow. She heard Gabriel whine and felt him gently press his paw onto her back. She rolled over and scratched the fur under his chin with a tired smile. "Hey, I'm okay...just bloody embarrassed."<p>

Gabriel let out a low 'woof' and wagged his tail. Without warning there was a knock on the door before it opened with soft, pneumatic hiss to reveal the attendant from this morning holding a covered tray and an unwavering scowl. May hastily rose to retrieve it from her and was given a sneer for her troubles. "Leave the tray outside the door when you're done."

Just as brusque as she had been this morning the woman turned sharply on her heel and disappeared from sight as the door slid shut behind her. May blinked, staring at the door for a moment before shaking her head. She set the tray down on the desk and was quite pleased with what she found when she removed the metal cover. "Let's see, stuffed chicken breast, grilled asparagus, rosemary potatoes...not bad at all."

She made quick work of the meal (she hadn't realized how hungry she'd been until the smell of proper food had filled the room) and quickly changed into her sleepwear. The food had helped her headache, but she still felt weak and unbalanced. She slid beneath the covers and Gabriel quickly jumped up onto the bed and snuggled firmly into her side, licking her nose for good measure. May giggled and rubbed at the soft fur of his chest. "You are too cute. Now, let's get some sleep – hopefully tomorrow will be better."

After an hour or so of tossing and turning May rolled onto her side and stared at the wall. The League, Cipher, Maxie...Fuck, her mind wouldn't stop racing. She gripped the sheets tightly – every instinct she'd developed over her years in the wilderness was screaming that this situation was going to get much worse before it got better. _Bow your head and weather the storm._

May smiled as her father's words echoed in her mind. How many times had she called him, scared, stressed, frustrated – that had always been his response before he told her that he loved her. She thought about the picture of Norman Maple standing between his wife and daughter with a ridiculous grin on his face standing in front of the Petalburg gym that sat on her bedside table at home.

"I miss you guys so much," she whispered. She would never forget that phone call, watching the news report flash across the screen from a cheap hotel room in Goldenrod City. _'This just in, the MV Moira has struck a reef off of the coast of Sootopolis and has cap sized – we're getting reports of numerous casualties...'_

May closed her eyes and drew a deep, steadying breath. Bow your head and weather the storm.

* * *

><p>The rest of the week proved to be just as miserable, if not more so, as the first day. While she refrained from allowing herself to slip up when it came to the environmental monitoring, her health continued to deteriorate. She'd had to leave the office several times a day under the pretence of using the restroom so she could vomit. Still, she'd staunchly refused to let Maxie know anything was wrong, making sure to meet his sly criticism with her own scathing remarks and periodically rubbing at her cheeks to make sure the colour stayed in them. Today though – it was getting difficult. Her head was pounding and she was desperately trying not to shiver despite wearing her heaviest cardigan. She could barely focus on holding her pen, let alone parry Maxie's verbal lunges.<p>

"Miss Maple are you quite alright?"

"Of course," May hissed through clenched teeth. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Hn, you usually give me a far more flippant response for starters."

"I'm fine."

Without warning he reached over and grabbed the arm of her chair, turning it sharply to face him. He stared her down over the rims of his glasses for a painfully long moment. May held her breath as those dark brown eyes bored into her before he rose and extended his hand. She raised a brow at him and Maxie rolled his eyes. "Miss Maple, if you would?"

Sighing, May eventually relented and accepted his hand – secretly she was glad for his gentlemanly conduct; she wasn't quite sure if she could have stood on her own. He led her down the hall to the elevator where he selected one of the sub-basements and the lift lurched into motion. The movement made her stumble, but Maxie's hand was at her hip to steady her with annoying swiftness. She growled and glared at him

"Where are we going?"

"Where do you think?" he replied, looking over at her with an expression halfway between malice and amusement. "You've been, dare I say it, _docile_ all day."

"And that's a problem for you?"

"In a manner," he replied slyly. "Part of the reason I agreed to your proposition was the chance for a little – retribution. I want to face the girl who brought my empire to its knees, not a League lackey."

May narrowed her eyes, though she felt herself beginning to smile at the revelation. She'd been spoiling for a fight all week, if he wanted to face the Tauros he was damn well going to get the horns. The elevator came to a slow stop and the doors slid open to cold darkness. When they stepped out from the lift a series high powered halogen lights snapped to life overhead to reveal a massive battling arena. She felt her lips curl upwards into a smile and she moved out of Maxie's reach, standing under her own adrenaline fuelled power. She strode forward without a word to the left side of the field while Gabriel took the centre, forelegs stiff and mane bristling. Maxie smiled and took his place on the opposite side of the field. He removed his glasses and placed them in his breast pocket. "Customary six on six?"

"If you think you can handle it."

Maxie smirked at her flippant reply and unclipped a pokéball from his belt. He pressed the centre button and tossed it skywards as the red and white orb enlarged and split open with a brilliant flash of white light. The light solidified into the hulking shape of a Camerupt. May let out a hissing breath between her clenched teeth. The massive bovine had always given her trouble, it was a deucedly tanky pokémon and stubborn to boot. Gabriel was going to have his work cut out for him. "Gabriel run in with a Crunch, quickly now!"

The canine's ears flicked back, pressing flat against his skull as his lips skinned back over his fangs in a fearsome snarl. He darted forward, turning into a dark blur as he sprinted across the field. At the last second he feinted left and circled in behind the slow moving pokémon, coming up on its right flank before the creature even knew what was going on and sunk his fangs in deep. Camerupt bellowed in heaved his bulk left and right trying to dislodge his attacker.

"Keep calm Hephaestus, use Flame Burst!"

The Camerupt tossed his head and the air around his bulk started to shimmer with heat. Before May could issue a command a sheet of flame expanded outward from Camerupt's form. Gabriel yelped and relinquished his hold, skittering back across the arena nursing a badly scorched mouth and several patches of singed fur. May cursed, she'd underestimated her opponent and Gabriel had paid the price. This would clearly have to be a distanced battle for the moment – so be it. "Gabriel, compose yourself – Dark Pulse!"

The Mightyena sat back on his haunches and howled, long and loud. A ripple of dark energy expanded outwards, rushing across the field at an alarming speed and slammed head on into the Camerupt. The bovine pokémon's forelegs buckled and his front end went down hard.

"Good now start charging up!"

"Don't let him finish, Earthquake!"

Hephaestus, lurched himself up and reared back on his hind legs. When he slammed down onto all fours a massive energy wave ripped through the ground, tearing up the stone floor as it rushed across the field. "Gabriel hunker down, don't break focus no matter what!"

The dark canine laid down flat as his outline started to glow with building energy. The Earthquake struck with terrifying force, throwing up massive chunks of stonework and sending a dust cloud rushing over the field, reducing visibility to zero in a matter of seconds. May raised an arm to protect her eyes from the flying debris, squinting against the dust. It slowly settled, Camerupt standing at the far end, but Gabriel was no where to be seen amongst the heaps of rubble until -

"Now!"

A heap of loose stones suddenly exploded skyward and Gabriel emerged, charging with his head down like a bull, his body glowing brightly with energy. "Giga Impact!"

Gabriel opened his mouth and roared as he slammed into Hephaestus' exposed flank and the two pokémon went down in a snarling heap of tangled limbs.

"Gabriel, disengage!"

The Mightyena released his hold on the Camerupt and darted backwards, snarling fiercely despite the fact that his legs were shaking badly. For a moment it looked like Gabriel was going to go down, but looking past him she saw the Camerupt lying on his side, completely out cold. May smiled savagely.

"Looks like I take the first match."

"Don't be so cocky Miss Maple," Maxie said as he withdrew Camerupt and selected another pokéball. "We've only just begun."

May grinned and withdrew Gabriel, selecting a new pokéball of her own. With a wild laugh she opened it and her Blaziken emerged in a brilliant flash of white light, wrists igniting with bright flame as he took up an elegant fighting stance. Maxie mirrored her actions and soon a Crobat emerged with a savage hiss, hovering over his side of the field.

"Aerial Ace!"

The Crobat became a large purple blur as the bat-pokémon dove towards Blaziken and slashed the large fighting bird pokémon across the chest before he even had time to react, sending him reeling. The fighting-type let out a gravelly grow as his wrists ignited again and he took up his original stance. "Good job Rikesh! Use Flamethrower!"

Rikesh opened his beak to let loose a massive jet of red-gold flame, the fiery stream causing the nearby stones to crack from the heat as it barrelled towards the Crobat. The elusive bat, however, merely hissed and barrel rolled out of harm's way whilst Maxie smirked.

"Excellent, use confuse ray!"

There was little May could do but watch as Crobat shrieked at an ear piercing frequency that sent Rikesh staggering, shaking his head in vain to throw off the attack. He stumbled, lashing out at targets that weren't really there, blinking dazedly as the flames on his wrists died down to a dull smoulder. "Rikesh come on, you can shake this off!"

"Wing attack, now!"

Crobat shrieked again and flew up high, his wings gleaming as if coated in a shining armour as he angled them sharply and dove down towards Blaziken at top speed, fangs bared in triumphant glee. Without warning Rikesh raised his head, eyes gleaming with a savage fire as his wrists ignited once again.

"Fire Punch!"

Crobat flared out his wings in a desperate attempt to slow himself down and swerve out of the way, but it was far too late and the fighting-type's flaming fist slammed into him, sending the bat hurtling across the arena to slam into the far wall where he crumpled into a twitching heap. Maxie scowled and silently withdrew his defeated pokémon. "Well, it seems you aren't completely incompetent."

"Pity I can't say the same of you," May smirked. "You may as well give up, you couldn't beat me all those years ago and from what I've seen there's no danger of that paradigm shifting any time soon."

"Then I shall have to remedy your thought process! Alexia!"

May squinted against the light of the emerging pokémon and was startled to see a Ninetails sitting serenely on the shattered arena floor. It was quite possibly the finest specimen she'd ever seen, with a gleaming coat of cream and fierce ruby eyes that missed nothing as she scanned the field, glowing with a proud fire. May let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"She's beautiful."

Maxie looked startled for a moment at her awed admission, but made no comment. Instead he whistled sharply and the Ninetails got to her feet, tails spread proudly.

"Hypnosis!"

May was snapped rudely back to reality and let out a curse as the vixen's eyes started to glow with a sinister light. Rikesh immediately began swaying on his feet, blinking owlishly before his eyes slid shut and he dropped down to his knees, trapped deep in slumber.

"Now, use Fire Blast!"

"Rikesh wake up! WAKE UP!"

Her cries fell on deaf ears and she was forced to throw herself flat behind a pile of debris to avoid being torched by the massive five-pronged fire blast swept over the entirety of the arena. She heard Rikesh bellow, pulled harshly back to consciousness by the devastating attack. May got back to her feet and inwardly cringed – despite being a partial fire type himself Blaziken was in rough shape, shaking violently as he struggled back to his feet.

"Rikesh, quickly now, use Focus Blast!"

Rikesh closed his eyes and held his clawed hands one above the other in front of his chest as a sphere of blue light slowly started to build between them, pulsing brighter and brighter as the energy gathered and condensed. Suddenly his eyes snapped open and he lunged forward, one leg slamming into the ground with earth-shattering force as he pushed his hands forward and sent the energy ball hurtling across the field. Maxie smirked, his features thrown into sharp relief by the blue glow of the incoming attack. "Alexia, Protect."

"No!"

The vixen narrowed her eyes as a field of pale green energy surrounded her just before the Focus Blast would hit. There was a thunderous boom as the two energy fields collided, sending a shock-wave rippling across the field. It was all for nought though as Focus Blast dispersed over the protective sphere surrounding the Ninetails. "Now use Dig!"

Ninetails reared up before slamming her forelimbs into the earth, sending up a shower of dirt and rubble as she burrowed her way beneath the ground. May cursed under her breath, scanning the field frantically for any sign of the vixen. There, she almost missed it, but out of the corner of her eye she saw the ground to Rikesh's left started to bow upwards.

"Rikesh use Brick Break to your left!"

The Blaziken turned sharply on his heel and slammed his fist into the arena floor, shattering it from the force. It came too late, however, as he was immediately blown backwards as the Ninetails burst out of the ground and slammed her bulk into him with a low hissing, growl. Rikesh was sent hurtling backwards, gouging a shallow trench in the arena floor as he slid backwards and slammed into a support pillar where he lay unmoving. May gaped at the Ninetails as she calmly walked back to her side of the arena and started cleaning the dirt from her fur. She withdrew Blaziken and whirled around to face Maxie.

"Holy – why the hell didn't you bring her out ten years ago?" she spluttered, dragging a hand through her hair. Maxie smiled and gently stroked the vixen's head.

"I have my reasons. Now, shall we continue or are you going to surrender? The latter choice would be your wisest course of action."

May put a hand on her hip and smiled, selecting another pokéball. "Not on your life! Let's go Persephone!"

Her Altaria appeared in a brilliant flash of life, emitting a bell-like tone as she drifted onto the field.

"Alright, let's get things up in the air, Fly!"

* * *

><p>Island Wolf: Aaaand scene - I forgot how much fun it was to write pokémon battles! I'm sorry this seems so repetitious when compared to Ashes, I did borrow heavily from the old draft for elements of this chapter, but I promise things will start to pick up next chapter :)<p> 


	3. That old song and dance

Island Wolf: Hello lovely people, it's update tiiiime! I'm really excited about this chapter because I finally got to include some original material in the second half and I'm very fond of how it turned out. Readers who came over here from Ashes to Ashes will notice that I've changed Maxie's personality somewhat - yes he's still very abrasive at times, but it's more situational than stemming from any sort of true malice and - well you'll see what I mean when you read it. I personally like the way it reads better than the old way I used to write him and makes the relationship progression a little less jarring. But I digress, read ahead and find out for yourselves ;) Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing except this plots *weeps*

* * *

><p>Maxie smirked as May's Absol collapsed, struck down by Alexia's unstoppable Fire Blast. Her Altaria had fallen victim to it the match before and despite having fought three battles straight his Ninetails stood with hardly a scratch on her. He could see May's jaw clench as she withdrew her fallen pokémon and she stared hard at the field, obviously weighing her options. He smirked, it had been far too long since he'd seen that kind of desperation – not since their first encounter on Mount Chimney when he'd very nearly overpowered her. Still, the young woman was far from finished he could tell – there was still fire in her eyes. She reached for her belt to select another pokéball, mouth set in a grim, but determined line.<p>

The red and white sphere clattered to the ground as it slipped out of her nerveless fingers. Maxie watched the colour drain from May's face as she froze, rooted to the spot. She blinked slowly, shaking her head, clearly trying to compose herself, but it appeared to do her little good as she started swaying.

"Miss Maple?"

She looked at him with a dazed expression and opened her mouth as if to reply, before her eyes went wide and then rolled back as she crumpled to the ground in a dead feint. Swearing, he dashed across the field and rolled her onto her back. She was white as a sheet and completely unresponsive as he

took her pulse. He was startled to find that her skin ice cold to the touch and her pulse sluggish and weak. He unhooked the small hand-held radio from his belt and switched it on.

"I need a medical team to subbasement arena two, on the double!"

"Yes Sir, team has been dispatched and is moving in on your position."

A few minutes later the elevator doors slid open and two men in white uniforms and a backboard held between them came running. Maxie moved out of the way, allowing the two men to inspect her. "Pulse and respiration weak, core temperature is below normal and dropping, Christ it's like she's hypothermic!"

"She's not getting enough oxygen, her breathing's almost stopped," one of them cursed and placed a bag valve mask over her face, using it to force more air into her lungs. "We need to get her to the infirmary, get the crash cart prepped, at this rate we might lose her."

Without warning May's eyes flew open, but they were not their usual deep, azure colour – they were a pallid, icy blue. She choked and gasped, clawing at the mask on her face. The paramedics attempted to hold her down, but she shrieked and twisted against their hands, thrashing with a violent strength that far belayed her small form. Maxie dropped down beside them and took firm hold of her shoulders, effectively holding her upper half down while the medics held her hips and legs. Pinned beneath the three men she was forced to lay still and look directly up into Maxie's face. Her chest was heaving and she was trembling beneath his hands.

"Miss Maple stop, we are only trying to help you!" he hissed as she screamed again. "Goddammit woman calm down!"

May let out a ragged sob and closed her eyes tightly. Slowly, she stopped struggling against them and her breathing eased. When her eyes opened again they were back to their normal bright, clear blue. "What – what -"

Her voice was hoarse and tears immediately began to well up her in eyes. Maxie frowned and loosed his grip ever so slightly as the medics started checking her vital signs, moving his hands to support her head. She was drenched in a cold sweat, locks of her hair plastered to her forehead. Without even thinking he brushed them aside. "We're still downstairs, you had some sort of fit and passed out. Do you remember anything at all?"

"It was cold, the water was so cold," she whispered, closing her eyes again, but the tears continued to flow. "And the fear -"

"Sir, we need to take her up to the infirmary."

"Right, keep me updated on her condition," Maxie said, moving aside again as they lifted her onto the backboard. "I have to inform Mr. Stone of this development."

With that he left them and beat a hasty exit, taking the lift back up to the office. He sat down and took a deep breath through his nose. Gods above wherever that girl went she dragged a mountain of trouble with her. He combed his fingers through his hair and smoothed down his clothing – he refused to see Steven at anything less than perfectly composed, the little twit was smug enough as it was. Once content with his appearance he quickly opened up the communication line on one of the monitors. After a few moments Steven's image appeared on the screen looking highly bemused "Maxie? What's going on -"

"What's going on is that your compatriot nearly died."

"WHAT!? What the hell happened Maxie, I swear to God if you -"

"I suggest you stop that accusation right there Mr. Stone," Maxie hissed. "She had some sort of medical episode. The physicians are quite baffled, as am I. They're taking her to the infirmary now to run tests."

"How is she?"

"Stable for the moment, but she nearly went into complete respiratory failure. Whatever is happening to her, it's likely very serious."

"Then send her back! She needs a proper medical facility - besides she's no use to you in this state. I can return Tabitha immediately if need be."

"Fine, I'll bring her to Lilycove tomorrow, will that be satisfactory?"

"Yes. Thank you Maxie."

Maxie didn't bother to reply and cut the connection. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Gods be damned, he knew that girl was going to be nothing but a headache. He rose, fishing out a pack of cigarettes from the inside pocket of her coat. He placed one between his lips and lit it as he stepped into the elevator, but didn't select a floor. He stared at the lighter, methodically flipping it open and shut as he mulled over the evening's events. She'd felt so cold when he'd touched her – like a corpse and then she'd looked up at him with those pale, dead looking eyes. He paused when he realized his hands were shaking. He flicked the lighter open again and held his palm over the flame for a few seconds before snapping it shut and pocketing it. He grit his teeth around the cigarette and narrowed his eyes against an unwanted flash of memory.

He'd seen those eyes far too many times before.

In all honesty he'd felt a stab of – well he wasn't quite sure how to label it, when she'd laid there shaking beneath his hands. To see the normally fiery young woman struck down so suddenly...He took another draw from his cigarette, pale smoke curling around his head. He sneered at his own blurry reflection in the steel doors and finally pushed the button for the uppermost floor. _ Damn, I'm getting soft_.

* * *

><p>Bright, it was far too bright.<p>

May squinted against the vast expanse of white, desperately trying to gain her bearings. Her head felt like it was going to split in two and the slightest movement sent her stomach rolling into waves of nausea.

"Ah, looks like someone's decided to return to the land of the living."

The face of a middle-aged man with greying brown hair and warm hazel eyes entered her vision. She felt him slide a hand beneath her back as he carefully helped ease her into a sitting position where he proceeded to jot down her vital signs on a clipboard. She grimaced and rubbed at her chest which felt tight and sore.

"What happened?"

"You passed out during your pokémon battle with Mr. Asher," he said as he took her pulse. "I've never seen anything quite like it. You're core temperature dropped at an alarming rate and you very nearly went into respiratory failure."

"Shit," she muttered, rubbing at her temples. "I feel like I got hit by a freight train."

"Not surprising all things considered. Hmm, well everything seems to be stable for the moment, but Mr. Stone as requested your immediately return to Lilycove for proper medical care,"

"You mean I'm going home?"

"That's what it looks like. Things seem to be alright for now – I suggest you go pack. Take it easy though and I want you to come back here if you feel at all out of sorts," he said, extending his hand towards her. "I'm Dr. Scott by the way."

"Thank you, Dr. Scott," she said, shaking his hand. It was a pleasant surprise to be greeted by a member of Maxie's staff who didn't ooze venom. "I'll be sure to check in before I leave."

* * *

><p>"Well, on the bright side Gabe we get to sleep without supervision again."<p>

The Mightyena barked before picking up one of her sweaters between his jaws and bringing it over to her. She smiled and plucked the garment from his mouth, scratching him behind the ears. "Good boy. Why don't you go make sure I took everything out of the bathroom?"

The canine barked again and trotted into the washroom and out of sight. May was half-way through folding up the sweater when the door behind her slid open. She swore and tried to turn, but kneeling as she was she only managed to tangle her feet up in the strap of the duffel bag. She fell onto her back with a squeal, glaring at the red-haired man standing at the threshold. Gabriel came running out of the bathroom, growling fiercely though the former crime lord seem to pay him no mind. May rolled her eyes and laid a hand on Gabriel's side, calming him immediately. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"I've come to fetch you. Upon hearing of your little drama, Mr. Stone has decided to end our little exchange."

"Huzzah."

"Yes," Maxie said dryly as he placed a foot down on the bag strap, effectively keeping her feet entangled and preventing her from rising. "But first I want a little clarification."

May propped herself up on her elbows and wrinkled her nose in a disgruntled manner. How undignified. "It's not like I have a choice now do I."

"Oh good, you're finally catching on," he replied with a smirk. "Right after you came out of that little fit you said something about cold water and fear. What did you mean by that exactly?"

May let herself lie back down and she focused her gaze on the ceiling. She picked at the carpet with her fingernails and frowned. "I'm not sure exactly. I remember looking at you across the arena, everything went out of focus and then it went black. I couldn't really see anything at first, but I remember feeling cold, so damn cold – it was like diving in the trench again all those years ago, but so much worse. Then I saw a light, it was dim but it hurt my eyes all the same. Something grabbed me and I felt -"

She stopped. It was suddenly far too difficult to speak around the lump in her throat and she swallowed thickly.

"I've never felt so fucking _terrified_ in my life."

She lifted herself up again and looked up at him, surprised when she didn't hear a scathing remark. She found him deep in thought, staring at the floor through narrowed eyes. "Um, Maxie? Are you going to let me up?"

That seemed to snap him out of his reverie and he immediately stepped back, allowing her room to sit up and untangle herself. She tossed the rumpled sweater into the duffel bag and zipped it shut.

"Miss Maple...do you think it is possible that what you experienced could have been ay all related to Kyogre?"

She froze and felt the bottom drop out of her stomach. She exhaled heavily and leaned her back against the foot of the bed, pressing her forehead against her knees. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind, but it made a frightening amount of sense. She had forged a bond with one legendary titan – it wasn't unreasonable to think that another would seek her out if it were in distress. "Fuck," she murmured hoarsely as she sat up straight. "I didn't even think about that. If that's true then -"

"Then it's likely Cipher has discovered Kyogre's location, if not captured it already."

May rose, withdrawing Gabriel into his ball and hefting her bag over her shoulder in one fluid motion. She looked at Maxie with a grim expression. "Then we have no time to lose."

"For once I'm inclined to agree."

She followed him to the elevator where they rode it down to one of the lower levels she'd yet to see. She shot him a quizzical look, but he ignored it as the doors slid open. Automatic lights snapped on to reveal long rows of vehicles, everything from militaristic SUVs to flashy sports cards. She followed Maxie to a sleek, black Lexus LFA. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Not red?"

He looked devilishly close to smiling, but said nothing as he produced a set of keys and unlocked the car with the push of a button. Smirking, May jammed her duffel bag into the foot well before climbing into the passenger seat while Maxie started the car. The V10 engine roared to life and he shifted the gears. They sped towards the end the garage where a steel door slid open to grant them passage.

It was snowing again today, not very heavily, but certainly enough to make driving treacherous. Snow covered pine trees rose tall and silent on either side as they took the long, winding road to the valley floor, presumably where they would meet up with the main highway. May fidgeted in her seat. It was dreadfully tense inside the vehicle and the dark forest flanking the narrow road were starting to make her feel claustrophobic. She traced her finger along the edge of the seat belt. "Where are we meeting Steven?"

"Lilycove, at the hotel," Maxie replied tersely, not taking his eyes off of the road. "He was quite incessant on having you back."

"Right," May muttered, the leather upholstery creaking as she shifted in her seat. Maxie appeared to notice her discomfort and smirked nastily.

"Does Mr. Stone unnerve you so?"

"No idea what you're talking about," May replied sullenly, folding her arms over her chest and turning her gaze to the window. They crossed the bridge that spanned the river and left the valley behind, joining up to the main highway that curled along the northern coast. Maxie's smile widened and he gave her a sidelong glance, a wicked gleam in his dark brown eyes.

"Of course you don't," he drawled sarcastically. "You can't tell me you don't see the way he still looks at you, despite your rather ah – messy falling out. You're totally dismissive of him and yet he still tries to shield you from every little danger, trotting at your heels like a good little dog no matter how many times you kick him."

"I don't care."

"Lying does not become you Miss Maple."

She turned to glare at him, but her retort died in her throat when she saw him glance in the rear-view mirror and his sharp features creased in a tight grimace. May looked back and saw a black SUV pull up behind them through the rear windshield, speeding towards them at an unrelenting pace.

"Hm, looks like we've got company. Miss Maple, look under your seat, there should be a black plastic case – I need you to retrieve it."

May frowned, but didn't question him as she reached beneath her seat. Her hand met the handle of the case and she pulled it out and onto her lap. She flicked open the latches and opened it to reveal something that turned her blood to ice water.

In the case, neatly ensconced by ribbed black foam, lay a sleek Beretta M9 semi-automatic handgun with extra ammunition magazines. She turned to stare at Maxie with wide eyes, but he ignored her, steering with one hand whilst grabbing the Beretta with his other.

"Take the wheel for a second," he ordered quietly. May swallowed thickly and reached over, holding the steering wheel with trembling hands while Maxie slid a magazine into the gun and switched the safety off. He took the wheel with one hand again, using the other to hold the gun near his lap. He looked at her for the first time since the SUV had started tailing them. "Don't go panicking on me now Miss Maple. You should realize that not everyone uses pokémon to settle disputes. Keep calm, I need you to watch them, but if I tell you to get down you might want to listen."

Without warning the SUV accelerated, nudging their back bumper and sending a jolt through the car. Maxie growled, struggling to keep them on course. May whimpered and braced her hands against the dashboard. She fought to keep herself from screaming as they were rammed again, forcing Maxie to pull a hasty manoeuvre to keep them on the snow covered road. The SUV moved into the passing lane, accelerating until they were side by side with them.

"Down!" Maxie snarled as the SUV's windows rolled down. May ducked as the fierce tattoo of automatic gunfire erupted overhead over the roaring of the engines. The side windows of their car shattered, showering her in glass and snow. Maxie lifted his head and levelled his gun at the SUV, answering the salvo of bullets with a barrage of his own. The SUV swerved and dropped back to their original position and opened fire again, shattering the rear and front windshields. Maxie swore as one of the bullets grazed the side of his neck, leaving a gruesome red track in its wake. Gritting his teeth he pointed the gun back over his shoulder and fired several answering shots. "Hang on!"

He downshifted and swerved to the right before turning the wheel hard over to the left, forcing them into a terrifying 180 degree turn. He slammed the vehicle in reverse with a mad grin as he fired his gun over the dash, through their window at the oncoming SUV. The tinted windshield shattered and for one brief second she could see the driver - a dark-haired man dressed in black with startlingly blue eyes – before his face was ripped apart by Maxie's bullets in a spray of blood, bone and brain matter. He slumped over the wheel and without its driver the vehicle swerved sharply to the right, slamming into the guardrail where it flipped and rolled violently into the ditch. May barely had time to brace herself before Maxie pulled another heart stopping 180 and pulled them to a stop. He ignored the blood soaking his shirt collar and glanced over at May who still had her hands against the dashboard, trembling from head to toe.

"Are you alright?"

May took one look at the bloodied CEO and screamed, wrenching open the door. She practically fell out of the car in her haste to get away. She pressed herself against the concrete barrier that separated the two sides of the divided highway as he stepped out of the vehicle and walked towards her.

"You fucking lunatic!" she shrieked. "You killed him! You killed that man!"

May whimpered when he seized the front of her coat and roughly hauled her back onto her feet – though the tips of her boots barely touched the ground the way he was holding her. He gave her a hard shake, his features contorted in a snarl. "Pull yourself together girl! I'm sure you recall, but they tried to kill us first! Cipher does not show leniency, they will kill you the first chance they get. We are at war Miss Maple, and you'd best be ready to get your hands dirty if you want to live through it!"

With that he set her down, moving his grip to her upper arms when he realized how badly her legs were shaking. He held her steady until she seemed to regain some strength and escorted her back to the car, wordlessly helping her back inside. She stared at the road ahead, refusing to look at him as he started the car and put it back into gear.

"He wasn't the first man I've killed Miss Maple and he probably won't be the last," he said quietly, turning the car back towards the base.

"You did it without blinking...you just...killed him."

Her voice was barely above a whisper, but he heard it and sighed.

"Yes, I did. I'm not your precious Steven, I don't have his morality. That said I promised not to harm you and I'm a man of my word."

She looked down at her lap at that, sniffing quietly. "So what now?"

"We're obviously being followed – we can't continue on to Lilycove, not unless you want to get shot at again. We'll have to head back to base and report this to Mr. Stone. I fear the enemy has already found us."

May carefully hefted her duffel bag over her shoulder, following Maxie at a distance to the elevator. When she showed reluctance to get inside his temper finally appeared to get the better of him and he grabbed her arm with such harshness she was sure that he was going to leave bruises as he dragged her in. She wrenched herself out of his grasp and stood as far away as the confined space of the lift would allow. Maxie rolled his eyes as he pulled out a black kerchief, carefully dabbing at the wound on his neck. "Miss Maple, considering that I just saved both of our hides I suggest you smarten up."

She glared at him, but made no comment though her eyes lingered on his injury.

The elevator came to a halt and she followed him to the office where he made short work of opening a secure communication channel. Steven's expression went from confusion to intense concern when he saw the blood on Maxie's clothes and May standing meekly in the background.

"What the Hell happened to you?"

"We had a little run in with Cipher on the way to Lilycove," he growled. "We managed to get away, but they aren't pulling any stops Steven – I haven't had to fire a gun in a very long time."

"You were shot at!?" Steven gaped. "Is May alright?"

"I'm fine Steven," she said with a weak smile, "but I think I'm going to have to stay here for the time being."

"Not bloody likely, if they tailed you on the way to Lilycove then they obviously know where you are. Maxie -"

"I know, I'm issuing the movement protocols as soon as this communication is done," Maxie replied. "We'll change facilities tomorrow via airlift."

"Alright, I want regular reports until the move is complete, and May -"

"Will be airlifted to your location, yes."

May scowled at Maxie's back. They were concerned with her safety, she knew that, but gods be damned did they have to talk about her like she wasn't even in the room? Maxie cut the comm line and turned back to May, his expression tight and pained. "Miss Maple I suggest you return to your quarters and get some rest for the time being."

"...Yes Sir."

* * *

><p>May stared up at the ceiling, slowly tapping her fingers against the duvet in time to the second hand ticking softly away from the wall clock. The sound of shattering glass and gunfire rattled fiercely in her brain as the image of the driver slumping over the steering column, his face a gaping red ruin replayed over and over. She could pick out every little detail in the memory, the way the blood had splattered against the seat when a bullet went through his eye, the way his forehead had split open and the way his left cheek had been shredded away.<p>

She sat up plucking at a stray thread on the hem of her shirt. Upon returning to her room she'd immediately changed into her flannel pyjama pants and loose grey tank top with the full intention of going to bed. Whenever she shut her eyes, however, all she could see was the driver's face tearing apart again, and again.

"Dammit."

She flung the covers aside and carefully opened the door, peering out into the hallway. Finding it abandoned she padded barefoot to the elevator and selected the uppermost level. _What am I doing..._The lift slid to a halt and opened to a short corridor that ended in a single door. She stood in front of it, one hand poised to knock. She stood that way for several minutes until her knuckles finally touched the stainless steel.

The door slid open.

"Miss Maple? What in blue blazes are you thinking!?"

He clearly wasn't expecting visitors, dressed down in his slacks and partially unbuttoned shirt. His wound from earlier was now hidden from sight beneath a strip of gauze, though she could still see a few smudges of dried blood on his pale skin – clearly he'd tended to the injury himself. She bit her lip when she saw it; she'd completely forgotten that he'd been hurt. He gaped at her for a few seconds before looking out in the hallway. Seeing nobody else he quickly seized her by the wrist and dragged her into the room. He let her go as soon as she was over the threshold and quickly hit the button to close the door. He stood back, placing his hands on his hips and glared at her through narrowed eyes. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I – I don't know," she stammered. She looked down at her feet and her arms around her torso protectively. "I just can't stop thinking about it. I keep seeing his face, the blood..."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw his stance shift and suddenly his hand was on the small of her back. He steered her towards a couch and forced her to sit down. The beige suede was soft beneath her palms as she pushed herself further back so she could fold her legs up beneath her. He took up a seat opposite to her in a matching chair, gazing at her over the mahogany coffee table between them. "I assume you're referring to the man I shot earlier today."

"...Yes."

"I see," he said quietly. "You'll likely keep thinking about it for a long time, but – eventually it gets easier."

"Does it?" she murmured, half to herself. She looked at him and furrowed her brow. "Maxie, where did you learn to shoot like that?"

He looked startled by her question. "What?"

"Guns are highly restricted in Hoenn; outside law enforcement and the military it's almost impossible to own one. I'm guessing – I'm guessing it was the latter."

"How very...astute of you."

The lapsed into silence and May took the opportunity to observe the room. It was, just as her room had been, tastefully furnished. They appeared to be in a living room like area, though she noted a hallway to her right that likely led to a bedroom. The walls and carpet were the same colour combination as her own living quarters, with suede beige furniture and a fireplace set into the far wall in elegant black marble. The table sported a crystal ash tray containing several cigarette butts and further back behind Maxie she could see a small bar area, the bar top made from the same black marble as the hearth. All in all, very much him.

The man himself seemed distracted, his coffee brown gaze fixed on the fire and May took the rare opportunity to study him. It was very strange seeing him dressed so casually - she'd always seen him in that imposing Magma uniform or the crisp black suit he'd taken to wearing these days, and for once he seemed to be completely relaxed, no tension in his broad shoulders or a sneer on his face. It was a little unsettling - looking at him now, quiet, pensive, and a little disheveled - it was hard to believe that he'd nearly plunged Hoenn into ruin or that she'd watched him killed a man without blinking.

"Drink?"

May blinked and suddenly realized that he'd turned his dark gaze onto her. "Beg pardon?"

"A drink, you look like you could use one."

"Yes," she said with a small smile. When he started to rise however, she put a hand out to stop him. "Actually, may I?"

"By all means."

She rose and padded across the room and behind the bar. She scanned the liquor cabinet and froze when she spotted a particular label on the top shelf. She swore and looked at him over her shoulder. "You – you actually have 50 year old Dalmore!?"

At that Maxie smiled and walked over, taking the decanter out of the cabinet along with two crystal tumblers. He poured out two glasses and handed one to her. She took a sip and closed her eyes, making a noise of pure content as she let the malt roll across her tongue, savouring the earthy taste.

"I never pegged you for a scotch drinker."

"Oh, very much so," she breathed after finally swallowing the liquor. "I can't believe you actually managed to get your hands on a bottle of 50 year old Dalmore – gods above I could barely afford a 12 year old Glenfiddich on my best day."

He gave her an odd half-smile and leaned against the cabinet nursing his drink. May hefted herself up onto the bar top and took another swallow of scotch as she watched him. This was certainly – unexpected. The crimson-haired syndicate leader still had a few enigmas left to him it would seem. One moment he was baring his teeth and tearing her a new one, the next he was pouring her a glass of the most expensive liquor she'd ever had the good fortune to hold, let alone drink. "Jackass," she muttered into her glass, but she felt herself smile all the same.

"I heard that."

She smirked. "Well I've already gotten a glass of scotch out of you so I think we're past the need for pleasantries."

"And there's the famous Maple wit."

She resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him – barely. It was then that she noticed music playing from somewhere in the suite. She listened for a few moments and raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Dick Haymes, that's surprising."

"Not as surprising as your familiarity with him – he's quite a bit before your time."

"I'm a pretty big Peggy Lee fan as well, I'll admit," May replied with a shrug and another drink of scotch. Perhaps it was the alcohol, perhaps it was the strangeness of the situation – perhaps it was both, either way she wasn't sure what thought process caused her to blurt out her next sentence. "You know Maxie, when you aren't screaming at me or muttering death threats you aren't bad company."

Maxie looked startled for a moment and then, dare she say it, somewhat sheepish. "I suppose I should apologize for my earlier conduct."

"Maybe," she said softly, staring into the amber depths of her glass. "At the same time I should've handled the situation better. I thought – I thought I'd gotten so much tougher over the past ten years, but I guess I'm still just a child."

"Not a child," he argued, shaking his head. "Innocent still perhaps, but not a child."

"Careful Maxie, I think you almost paid me a compliment there."

"I'll blame it on good scotch and a stressful day."

May closed her and smiled, listening to the faint sound of the 1940s drifting through the room.

_A small cafe, Mam'selle;_  
><em>a rendezvous, Mam'selle.<em>  
><em>The violins were warm and sweet<em>  
><em>And so were you, Mam'selle.<em>

"Bow your head and weather the storm."

"Beg pardon?"

"It's just – something my father used to say," May said, blushing. "Every time I'd call him, upset, frustrated, ready to go on a rampage he'd listen to me rant and rave until I'd calmed down and then he'd say those words. Every time."

"I see. Pardon me, but your parents passed away about six years ago now didn't they?"

"Yes, they were on the _Moira_ when she struck the reef off of Sootopolis and capsized. I was staying in Johto at the time," May nodded. "I was on League business and couldn't make it home for Christmas so they decided to come to see me in Goldenrod. They were on their way home when the ship sank. I quit the League not long after that – when I realized that they'd been keeping me in a gilded cage."

Maxie looked like he wanted to say something, but whatever it was he refrained from speaking. He slowly swirled his drink. "Quite the interesting situation we're in wouldn't you say?"

"If you're talking about being on the same side for a change, then yes. What is it that old saying about adversity?"

Maxie smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Adversity makes strange bedfellows?"

"Right," she said and raised her glass with a crooked grin. "To adversity then?"

He stared at her as though she'd gone mad for a moment before conceding with a small smile of his own. He touched the rim of his glass to hers. "To adversity.

_And yet I know, Mam'selle_  
><em>Some day you'll say "Goodbye"<em>  
><em>Then violins will cry, and so will I<em>  
><em>Mam'selle<em>

* * *

><p>The song lyrics are from Dick Haymes' beautiful tune Mam'selle - I'm a huge fan of that era of music and I couldn't resist treating myself by working it in there even if it made things seem gooey as all hell. That said, I regret absolutely nothing ;)<p> 


	4. Clipped wings and broken things

Island Wolf: Kids, if any of you are in high school, respect the amount of work your teacher puts in to planning a lesson - holy sweet Christ I've been up like three nights in a row trying to finish two Unit plans X_X on the bright side my work breaks have been dedicated to writing this, hey-oh consistent updates.

Guys I really have to take a moment to say thank you for the response you guys have given me to this story so far, the reviews have been so nice, the amount of follows has blown my mind and the views - holy crap, you're all just fantastic! Hugs for everybody!

I have to say I've got mixed feelings about this chapter - I must have rewritten it a dozen times and I'm still not content, but I think I just need to bite the bullet and post. I'm sorry that this one probably isn't up to snuff compared to chapter 3, but if you guys can hang in there chapter 5 is looking more promising (hopefully going to work some sweet banter in there). Anyway, enjoy peeps

Oh, also I saw a GIF of Maxie's losing animation from Omega Ruby - made my fucking life, I love that dork so much! Such a freaking cutie!

Disclaimer: Blah blah I own nothing blah blah pokemon and characters belong to Nintendo

* * *

><p>May awoke to organized chaos.<p>

The entire building was a hub of activity and it was all she could do to stay out of the way as Magma personnel rushed to and fro, packing up valuable equipment and transporting them to the rear lawn – though May couldn't fathom why; not even all the trucks she'd seen in the facility's garage could carry all of this. Hefting the duffel bag higher up on her shoulder she headed towards Maxie's office and was greeted by an almost bare room. Maxie stood cutting an imposing, but impressive figure in his long overcoat next to Courtney who was wearing some sort of black flight suit and holding a a tablet, presumably containing a checklist of some kind.

"That's it Sir, all essential equipment has been moved to the pick up point, personnel standing by."

"What's the ETA on our transport?"

"Approximately ten minutes."

"Good, dismissed."

Courtney brought her booted heels together with a crack and saluted before she left the room, though not without giving May a sidelong glare as she did so. May turned to face Maxie feeling decidedly bewildered. "What's going on exactly?"

"No time to explain the details, just follow me," Maxie said with an errant wave of his hand. May huffed, but followed him to the elevator without complaint. He selected the ground floor, but rather than go through the lobby they took a small side corridor that led out the back of the building to the massive open grounds that backed the estate.

May shivered as she met a blast of icy air, turning up her collar against the biting wind. Large containers packed with equipment stood wrapped in dark green tarp, surrounded by Magma personnel. Most were as she was, dressed in civilian clothing and holding their bags of possessions, but there were a significant number dressed in militaristic uniforms, black with a splash of fire-red on the collar and toting automatic assault rifles.

"How the hell are you going to transport all of this, you'd need a goddamn _fleet_ of trucks!" May enquired. The red-haired CEOs eyes flashed with amusement, but he remained silent much to her chagrin and she rolled her eyes. They hadn't really spoken since last night and she flushed slightly beneath the collar of her winter coat. That had been a very improper move on her part, showing up in his personal quarters in nothing but her nightwear. Still, he'd been nothing less than a perfect gentleman about it.

She stole a glance at him, standing with his hands in his pockets and his dark gaze focused on the sky. May shook her head and smiled. He was an abrasive, stubborn and disagreeable man, but perhaps he wasn't all bad. In any case he had an exceedingly good taste in liquor and music. She moved to stand next to him and was about to ask him what he was looking for - then she heard it.

It was low at first, a deep steady thrum gradually growing in volume until it was a growling roar. She saw someone point and looked towards the sky. What she saw made her jaw drop. "No fucking way."

Bearing down from the east were seven absolutely massive twin-engine, tandem rotor helicopters. Painted completely black save from the white registration numbers near the tail they hovered huge and imposing against the pale winter sky. Slowly they started to descend and she had to commend the abilities of the pilots – as expansive of the facility's grounds were, they were almost completely taken up by the fleet of helicopters and it was a feat of pure skill to land them so precisely. Once safely on the ground the rear loading ramps were lowered and the massive machines were slowly powered down.

"Where the hell did you get those?" May yelled over the slowing chopper blades.

"I called in a few favours," Maxie replied with a wink as he headed towards one of the helicopters and met one of the pilots. The aircraft operator removed his helmet to reveal a roguish looking man, roughly Maxie's age, with greying blonde hair and intense green eyes that screamed mischief. He laughed when he saw Maxie approached and grasped the other man's hand, pulling him into a quick one-armed embrace. Clearly an old acquaintance – one that owed Maxie big time by the looks of it. With surprising swiftness the helicopters were loaded; two were filled almost completely with cargo, one more was half loaded and the remainder seemed to be designated for personnel, roughly 50 souls to a craft.

May stood awkwardly to the side, not quite sure exactly where she was supposed to go – to be fair she was still a little flabbergasted that Maxie had _winked_ at her. So the red-haired devil had a sense of humour after all. The man in question seemed to notice her discomfort and beckoned her over, along with Courtney much to her dismay.

"Miss Maple you will be riding with myself and Courtney in one of the cargo aircrafts."

"So this is the lassie you were talking about," the blonde-haired man said and then grinned crookedly. "A sweet little thing like you took out this salty bastard eh? Not bad girl, not bad."

"Thank you Miles, I loved being kicked while I'm down."

"I just brought you seven Chinooks, I'd say I've earned a few pot shots," Miles laughed and May found herself instantly liking the man. "Right, well we better get started. Courtney come on, you're going to help me fly this bird."

May tried very hard not to smile, but failed miserably as Maxie led her up the loading ramp and through the maze of crates and boxes they'd loaded into the back. There was an open seat near one of the windows, just behind the cockpit and she sat herself down, jamming her duffel bag beneath it. "So what is the plan exactly?"

"We'll be flying to our new location first, then we'll transport you to Ever Grande once we've unloaded," he said, handing her a headset. "Put that on once we start taking off, you'll be able to keep in touch with us in the cockpit."

"You're going to be in the cockpit? Don't tell me you know how to fly one of these monsters."

"No, not well anyway," Maxie said, shaking his head. "I'll be acting as third co-pilot, more so navigator than anything else. You can reach me with your headset if you need anything."

With that he stepped through the narrow door that led to the cockpit. She heard them strap in and followed suit, cinching belt tightly around her waist. She'd never flown in a helicopter before – on the backs of pokémon sure, but a hulking military aircraft? She swallowed thickly and slid on her headset, listening to the chatter of the pilots as the helicopter hummed to life, the blades slowly picking up speed.

"This is Mightyena – Alpha 1, ready for take off."

"Mightyena – 2, standing by."

"Mightyena – 3, standing by."

"Mightyena – 4, standing by."

"Mightyena – 5, standing by."

"Mightyena – 6, standing by."

"Mightyena – 7, standing by."

May felt the vibrations surging through the aircraft intensify as the loading door was closed and the nose of the helicopter started to lift. With pilot jargon flowing through the headset May decided to focus her attention on the window, watching the land slowly disappear as they gained altitude and turned towards the south. The view was spectacular, she had to admit. She rarely flew in the winter so it was a real treat to see the forests and valleys blanketed in white, glittering in the weak sunlight. Far below she saw groups of pokémon meandering through the trees, either seeking food from the evergreens or buried beneath the snow. A pack of Mightyena gambolled along the banks of a river, chasing the shadows of the helicopters as they passed by.

Lovely as it was, however, the allure eventually wore off as the hours dragged by. It was hard to keep track of their position through the tiny window, especially since she still didn't know where the original base had been located to begin with. She leaned back in her seat, gazing around the helicopter's interior for the hundredth time when her headset exploded with radio chatter.

"Mightyena – 1, unknown aircraft to your eleven o-clock. We've tried hailing them on all channels, but there's been no response."

"Someone get me eyes on them, tell me what we've got!"

"Looks like four, no five birds inbound...what the – they're Kamovs!"

"What are Black Sharks doing here? Is it the military? I thought we had clearance!"

"It's not the military," she heard Maxie snap over the radio. "We need to prepare for evasive action."

"You seriously want to dogfight in a Chinook? Against a Black Shark?"

"Do you want an R-73 missile in your lap?"

"No, but – shit here they come!"

May gripped the edge of her seat, shutting her eyes tightly as they banked hard to the left. The radio was in bedlam, screams, orders, the fierce tattoo of heavy machine gun fire and the screech of air to air missiles. An intense flash of light shone through the window beside her before a deafening boom rattled through the aircraft and they pulled another heart-stopping bank. _This isn't happening, this isn't happening – this is just a bad dream, any minute now I'm going to wake up in my bed in Littleroot, I -_

There was a massive bang, the smell of smoke and May could hear alarms screaming in the cockpit.

"Fuck, we've lost the forward prop, losing altitude!"

"They're coming around for another pass!"

May could hear the bullets as they pierced the fuselage before there was another thunderous boom and the aircraft shook fiercely before the last engine died altogether. The rotors slowly ground to a halt and for one heart-stopping moment there was silence – and then they started to fall.

"Brace for crash landing!"

May felt her heart leap into her throat as they free fell, spinning in violently towards the ground. She screamed and the world went white.

* * *

><p>She could taste blood.<p>

May opened her eyes, blinking hard to clear the black spots away from her vision. For a moment she was completely disoriented, the pressure on her hips was enormous and all of the blood was rushing to her head. She suddenly realized that they helicopter had ended up on its side and she was dangling, suspended by her seat-belt from what had suddenly become the ceiling. She spat out a mouthful of blood and ripped off her headset. In the distance she could hear the thrum of helicopter engines, but whether they belonged to friend or foe she couldn't say. Other than that it was eerily quiet aside from the occasional creak from the aircraft's badly damaged frame.

She reached down and struggled with the seat-belt until her fingers finally found the release. She dropped several feet and landed hard on her knees, smacking the side of her head painfully on an overturned crate. She headed towards the cockpit, crawling through the now sideways door. Miles was completely unresponsive, blood dribbling out of his mouth and his chest crushed against the flight control column. Courtney, bruised and battered but relatively unharmed, was already struggling out of her own harness and Maxie was unconscious, still strapped in his seat. He was sporting a nasty looking wound on his left shoulder where a piece of debris had torn through his clothing and into the flesh beneath.

"You're alive, good – help me get him out," Courtney said gruffly, as she moved to Maxie's side.

"What about Miles?"

"Look at him, his ribs are shattered and he probably has a punctured lung. We need to be able to move fast."

"So we're just going to leave him here?"

"If you want to flag down Cipher for help, be my guest – I'm getting out of here."

May bit her lip and curled her hands into fists, nails biting crescent shaped cuts into her palms. Courtney was right, she knew that but – it still didn't make leaving him behind any easier.

She moved to Maxie's other side and wrapped her arms around his torso, supporting his weight while Courtney worked on freeing him from his harness. His head rested against her shoulder and she could see blood matting the hair near his left temple. "Maxie, you need to wake up. Please, we really need you here!"

His eyes fluttered open, looking around dazedly for a few moments until his gaze sharpened. "Status report?"

"Not sure Sir, we've crash landed – Miles is..."

Maxie looked over at the other man and closed his eyes. After a moment he turned to Courtney and nodded. "I understand. Come on we need to get out of here and assess the situation."

Courtney finally managed to undo the harness and May continued to support his weight as he struggled out of the seat. One by one they crawled through the shattered cockpit window and took stock of their surroundings. They'd crashed in a forest of pines, the aircraft carving out a large scar in the tall stand of trees where it had fallen from the sky. There was no sign of the other helicopters from their party, but they saw the sleek outline of the enemy's aircraft bearing down on them fast.

"Into the trees, quick!" Maxie hissed.

They ducked under the safety of the pines, darting between their shadows as fast as they could. The snow was calf deep in most places, but there were some drifts that had May up to her waist and practically swimming to escape the heaving sea of white. The cold air stung her lungs and her legs were already shaking with fatigue from breaking trail in the virgin snow.

"I – I don't hear anything," Courtney panted as they came to a halt near a half-frozen brook. May turned tightly in place, feeling the hair on the nape of her neck prickle. The pines were tall and black around them, casting them in shadow aside from the slice of pale sunlight that sliced through the canopy along the brook's curving path. The gentle sigh of the wind and the gurgling water were the only sounds she could hear – it was obscenely peaceful, and every survivalist instinct she had was screaming.

"We should keep mo-"

The gunshot broke the stillness like a thunderclap and beside her, Courtney lurched backwards as a plume of crimson erupted out the back of her skull, staining the snow rust red. She fell oh so slowly, her body collapsing into the stream as the red ruin of her face gazed up emptily at the sky.

May desperately wanted to scream, but her vocal chords were frozen, paralysed by the icy claws of fear wrapped firmly around her throat. Through the trees she could see men in uniforms coloured in winter camouflage, rifles raised. May could only stare at them, watching helplessly like a Deerling in the headlights.

"Run!"

The sound of Maxie's barking command snapped her back to reality and she turned, splashing across the brook at a dead sprint. Yells and warning shots echoed between the pines behind them, but May dared not turn around. Maxie was to her left, keeping up despite his injuries, with endurance that astounded her. The ground had begun to slope beneath them and they were abruptly faced with a steep drop off of about seven feet before it levelled out to flatter terrain. Maxie jumped down and May followed, her legs nearly giving out on the landing, but rather than continuing to run he pulled her back and pushed her against the rock face. He brought a finger to his lips in a silencing gesture before flattening his back against the wall next to her. The sounds of the approaching soldiers grew louder and May felt herself trembling.

It was all May could do to keep quiet when the edge of a pair of boots and barrel of a gun peeked over the lip of the cliff edge. Maxie moved with the speed of a striking Seviper, stepping to one side he reached up, grabbed the end of the rifle and heaved. A shot rang out and the ground in front of her exploded, showering her in snow and dirt. The Cipher commando toppled forward, pulled off balance by Maxie's surprise attack. The former crime-lord wrenched the gun out of the stunned soldier's hands and immediately turned it around, firing a single shot into the downed man's head. Blood and brains spattered against the snow.

Shouts rang out in the trees behind them and Maxie swore. May stood, rooted to the spot – all she could do was stare at the corpse with the hole in his head and a red halo spreading in the snow around him. Maxie's grip on her arm caused her to look up. She expected him to yell, but he merely pulled her forward, urging her back into a run. He kept her in front, following close behind and occasionally turning around to fire a few suppressing shots. The roar of the helicopters had returned and looking up May could see the menacing black shapes hovering in the sky above the canopy.

The trees suddenly began to thin and grow further apart, opening into a wide clearing. A Kamov hovered above, black and terrifying, and a line of rifle bearing men, Cipher's emblem sewn brazenly onto their breasts, stood waiting. May felt Maxie's back pressed against hers and she could practically hear the gears turning in his head as he struggled to look for an opening as the Cipher agents closed in on all sides. Out of the corner of her eye May saw one of them pull out what appeared to be a handgun of some kind. He levelled it at her and fired. Rather then the bullet she was expecting, a small liquid filled dart embedded itself in her neck. She yelped and ripped it out, but a few seconds afterwards she felt all of the strength leave her body and her legs gave out beneath her. Maxie must have heard her cry out because he turned and the men flanking him seized their chance. They rushed in, one ramming the butt of his gun into Maxie's stomach, causing him to double over before a second man dealt him a crippling blow to the back of his neck. Maxie fell to the ground, retching and fighting for air.

"No!" May cried, dragging herself towards him. She wrapped her arms around his fallen form as best she could to shield him from another blow. "No, leave us alone! Leave – leave us -"

The world dissolved into darkness and she slumped against him. The last thing she saw before the blackness swallowed her whole was the blood stained Magma pin on the lapel of Maxie's coat.

_We've lost..._

* * *

><p>It hurt...everything hurt...<p>

May struggled to open her eyes against the harsh fluorescent light. Her head felt like it was going to split open and every inch of her body felt like it'd been savagely beaten. It hurt just to breathe, to think. She tried to lift her hand over her eyes to block out the wretched light, but found her arms, torso and legs strapped down to some kind of operating table. Immediately she started to break out into a cold sweat and bit down on her lip to stifle her whimper. The room was spartan at best, white washed walls and linoleum tile. The far wall was set with a large piece of reflective glass that she couldn't see through and the thin outline of a door. She strained against the straps, but the leather held firm no matter how hard she pulled.

"Ah, good to see you awake at last May."

The door swung open and a tall man with striking blue hair loosely tied back in a low-slung ponytail entered the room. He wore an impeccable suit, though it was cut in a style she was sure the world hadn't seen in a century or so, and gazed at her over the rims of his tinted glasses. He gave her a disarming smile and moved to stand beside her, tucking an errant lock of her hair behind her ear. May shuddered; his hands were cold and lingered against her skin for far too long. "I was starting to get a little worried about you May – oh I do hope you don't mind if I call you by your given name, it's just so lovely! Like the first breath of the sun after a long, cold winter."

He slowly started to circle her as he spoke and May was suddenly reminded of a Sharpedo, circling its helpless prey, ready to strike at any given moment. He stopped when he came to the front of the table and rested his hands on either side of her head, leaning over her slightly. "I'm sorry, where are my manners. My name is Ardos and you May, are a very special girl indeed."

"You're the head of Cipher," May hissed, wrinkling her nose in a snarl. "Where am I? Why did you keep me alive?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Ardos replied, smiling again. "A champion class trainer, despite your rather indecent departure from the League, you single-handedly brought down Teams Magma and Aqua and forged a bond with the ancient earth titan Groudon. You, my dear, are truly a gem amidst all the dull faces of the unwashed masses."

"Well how about a little respect for the gem and do away with these restraints?"

"Oh you are witty, I like that!" he said, nodding to confirm her suspicions. "Let's put that keen intellect of yours to the test then; just why do you think I've brought you here?"

"You want me to get you to Groudon."

"You're half right," he laughed, moving to stand by her side. "I want you to take command of him once we turn Groudon into a shadow. With you as his handler Cipher would be nigh unstoppable, even with that troublesome cousin of yours and my traitorous brother trying to interfere."

"You have got to be joking!" May said with a sudden bark of laughter. She looked at Ardos with a sneer that Maxie would have been proud of. "I'll never work for you, you sick son of a bitch! You and the rest of Cipher can go fuck yourselves and go back under the rock your crawled out from!"

Ardos sighed and made a tutting sound and leaned his hip against the table, toying with her hair again. "I had a feeling that would be your response; you hero types are so predictable with your holier than thou attitudes," he paused to remove his glasses and returned his gaze to her, his eyes a sharp, icy blue – wild and hungry like a tundra wolf. He smiled again, bearing his teeth in a savage sort of grin. "Allow me to illuminate you. You are no better than the rest of us, you are fallible, flawed and very much breakable."

He brought his face close to hers. "Your childish notion of heroes and villains does not exist May, the world is simply made up of those with the courage and fortitude to seek and exercise their power, and those who are too weak or stupid to understand. You and I are far more alike than you would ever care to admit, but I'm going to remove your self-imposed blindfold and force you to look me in the eye."

"You're mad! You hurt innocent people, you turn pokémon into heartless fighting machines!"

"Oh don't be so melodramatic," he said, smirking as he drew back slightly. "I'm _liberating_ them my dear. Imagine, not having to worry about emotions, to reach your full potential without the burden of such things, imagine never having your heart broken? An enviable state of being I should say. Ah, I can see that I'm not getting through to you, no matter. I shall let the matter lie tonight and we shall begin the process tomorrow."

He reached into the depths of his coat and produced a syringe filled with a clear liquid. With surprising gentleness he rolled up her sleeve and started to clean the crook of her arm with a cotton swab soaked in a disinfectant. May struggled against the bonds anew but he shushed her and placed his free hand on her shoulder, holding her down securely.

"Process? What process?" she asked, her voice high with panic. "What is that?"

"Hush dear girl it's just a sedative, something to help you sleep," he said, carefully piercing the cleaned skin with the needle and pushing down the plunger. She whimpered as a cold sensation swept up her arm and he removed the needle. "Besides we can't have you plotting any escape routes now can we? I'll explain everything tomorrow, I promise."

May didn't have the strength to respond. Already her eyes were growing heavy and she didn't have the strength to twist away when he started stroking her hair. Her vision blurred and then she slid into darkness once again.

* * *

><p>Maxie growled and paced the length of his cell again, as he'd been doing for the past hour since he'd awoken despite the pain it caused him. The tiny area was constructed of some sort of white plastic-based material with the outer wall being made of thick plexiglass set with a door, locked of course. There was a single cot wedged in the corner and a toilet on the opposite wall. Barren but functional. He paused to glance over at May, laying unconscious on the cot as she had been since he'd awoken. His shoulder wound had been crudely stitched up and bandaged, but it still hurt like blazes as did his head and he knew that at least two of his ribs were cracked from the rifle blow. The act of walking was agonizing, but he would take the pain, as much as he could...anything to distract him, anything to stop him from thinking. Every time he paused to catch his breath his mind replayed Courtney lurching backward as the bullet took her between the eyes, Miles crushed in the twisted wreckage of the helicopter, the personnel manifest containing more that one hundred and fifty names...<p>

He shook his head firmly. This was not the time or the place for grieving – that would have to wait. A quick examination of the girl, had shown that she was unharmed aside from a few scrapes from the crash and the bruise rapidly forming in the crook of her right arm, likely from an injection of some kind. Probably a sedative seeing as she was still unconscious; in any case he was grateful for it – he really didn't want to deal with her hysterics.

He resumed his pacing and watched another pair of guards walking past, making a mental note of it. If the pattern held there was a guard rotation approximately three times an hour. It was painfully obvious that Cipher had taken them to one of their facilities, gods knew where, though for what purpose he really couldn't fathom. May was of value to the League and could therefore be ransomed, but he, with his organization obliterated, was practically worthless. He'd heard nothing of the fate of his employees, but if they'd treated their attack anything like they had the Aqua cleansing operation than there was likely no one left alive besides Tabitha.

A soft moan from the corner signalled May's awakening and he stopped his pacing, leaning his back against the glass window. There was a string of slurred curses as she sat up, rubbing at her temples. She looked at him with bloodshot eyes and frowned.

"Are we the only ones who made it?"

"I believe so yes."

"Fuck," May whispered hoarsely. She sat up and drew her knees tight against her chest. "How – _how_ could they do that?"

"You'd be surprised at the brutality and malice that people are capable of. I take it you had the pleasure of meeting our host."

"Yes," she said softly, her face disappearing for a moment when she hid behind her knees. After a moment she lifted her head to look at him. "Do you have any idea where we are?"

"No, I woke up in here – you were still unconscious."

The colour abruptly drained from May's face as her hand strayed towards her hip. "Maxie where are our pokémon?"

"Presumably being held hostage, or the far more likely scenario they're being turned into shadow pokémon as we speak."

An awkward silence filled the room. May had begun to gently rock back and forth on the cot, still hugging her knees tightly. It seemed all she could do to keep herself from dissolving into tears. When she spoke her voice was barely above a whisper. "What are we going to do?"

"_We_ are going to do nothing Miss Maple. We're unarmed, defenceless, and we have no idea where we are. Even if we managed to get out of this cell we don't even know the facility lay out; we wouldn't get more then a few hallways down before they caught us. I'm afraid we have to wait for help to come to us, if it ever comes at all."

"But – how will they every find us?"

"They likely won't be able to Miss Maple."

She glared at him with sudden anger, over the tops of her knees. "You really aren't helping the situation."

"I'm being realistic Miss Maple," he sneered, folding his arms over his chest as he turned to face her. "There is nothing we can do."

"Not with that attitude! There has to be something we can try, we can't just – we can't just lay down and die!"

"Idiot girl!" he spat. "You have to face the truth of things eventually! We are not getting out of here and there's not a goddamn thing we can do about it!"

"Excuse me for not giving up at the first sign of trouble!" she fired back. "You told me to give up years ago and I _still_ managed to beat your sorry ass, yet you constantly berate me, belittle my skills – why can't you stop being an egotistical son of a bitch for five fucking minutes and try to be a decent human being!"

"I owe you nothing Miss Maple! You humiliated me, destroyed my life's work and drove me underground for years. Why _should_ I be a decent human being to you hm?"

"Christ you're sick! After all that's happened – after what we've just been through, you can't put your pettiness behind you even though we're on the same side? You're no better than that psychopath upstairs! I'm surprised you haven't decided to join his fucking ranks already!"

"Ha, is that what you think of me?" he sneered, moving towards her. She backed against the wall, making a noise like an angry cat and he grinned savagely. He slammed a hand against the wall next to her head and slid two fingers beneath her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Oh dear, am I making you uncomfortable?"

He was sent reeling by a sudden, sharp slap to the side of his face. He staggered back a few paces and brushed his fingers against the stinging flesh, glaring at her. She was all fury, shaking with anger where she sat and her azure eyes alight with a raging inferno. Good, he'd been dealing with that same desperate ire ever since he'd awoken and he was more than ready to give it all to the girl who had caused him so many problems.

"Stay the _fuck_ away from me!"

"You really are a fool," he hissed. "So quick to think I'd jump in bed with Cipher – do you realize how much I've lost to them? My organization, what was left of my empire, my people, my pokémon – they are all gone!"

"As if you fucking care!" she retorted. "As if someone so cruel and vindictive as you has the capacity to really care about someone other than yourself!"

"Don't you dare!"

A savage shriek ripped itself from her throat and she launched herself at him. Maxie sneered and merely grabbed her by the wrist, roughly twisting her around so that her back was pressed against him. He kept one arm held behind her back at a vicious angle and pinned the other one against her chest. "Don't start something you can't finish Miss Maple," he hissed venomously into her ear. "I promised not to hurt you, but do not push me I -"

The threat died in his throat when he realized that she was crying.

Pressed against him as she was he could feel that sobs racking her shoulders and she went limp in his arms. All of the anger he'd felt just seconds before abruptly vanished and he immediately let her go as though he'd been burned. Rather than push away from him as he'd expected she turned and buried her face into his chest. Maxie hardly dared to breathe as she clutched at his shirt, holding on to him for dear life. He sighed deeply and hesitantly wrapped his arms around her small frame. It was entirely inappropriate, he knew that, but right now they had to rely on each other and they would get nowhere if they were at each other's throats.

He'd forgotten again that, while she had certainly grown up since they'd first met, she was still innocent in many regards. She'd stared danger in the face numerous times, but she'd never had to take a life, she'd never seen a friend or colleague murdered in front of her eyes before, she'd never been tapped in a situation where she was destined to lose – she'd never been _truly_ powerless before. What she _had_ done was show a great deal of trust in him and he'd responded with vicious verbal barbs and harsh rebuke. He felt her shake from a particularly violent sob and closed his eyes. He'd never felt more of a villain. "I'm – I'm sorry Miss Maple, I should not have treated you so harshly. That was very unkind of me."

"No, I shouldn't have accused you like that. I'm sorry," May said hoarsely and stepped out of his embrace. She scrubbed the tears from her face with the back of her hand. "You haven't turned your back on me yet."

"Well, I wouldn't particularly want to face Mr. Stone's wrath if I were to leave you behind."

That earned him a watery smile and she muttered something that sounded suspiciously close to 'jackass' through her sniffling.

"I heard that."

The laugh was dangerously close to a sob, but she managed to hold the pieces of herself together and finished drying her eyes. She dragged a hand through her matted hair and stood up straight like the Champion she once was. _There you are Miss Maple_.

"How are you doing?" she asked softly. He looked at her and had the sneaking suspicion that she wasn't talking about his injuries. It was difficult not to smile despite it all - even after he'd been a thorough scoundrel towards her she _still_ wanted to know if he was alright. That girl's heart, for all her talk and bluster, was still far too large for her own good...and for some reason that notion comforted him.

"I'll be fine," he said quietly. "What about you?"

"I – I don't know," she replied honestly. "This is so different – so different than when I had to deal with you and Archie. This isn't what I expected."

"This is a war Miss Maple, and we've ended up on the front lines."

She rubbed at her arm and looked down at the floor. "I'm no soldier."

"You'll have to be before this is over," She looked up at him and he suddenly found it hard to hold her gaze, "You've been given your number, your uniform and your gun, you've no choice in that matter anymore...but you don't have to stand alone."

Her azure eyes softened ever so slightly and he had to look away.

"Ah, here we are."

Their reconciliation was cut short by a shrill electronic beep as the door to their cell opened. An elderly man wearing a lab coat entered, flanked by two Cipher guards armed with rifles. The man in the lab coat smiled, exposing crooked teeth. "Hello Miss Maple, it's time to begin your procedure."

On cue the two guards stepped forward. Held at gun point there was little Maxie could do as they seized her by the arms and dragged her kicking and screaming from the cell. The door swung shut behind them, locking automatically. He leaned against the plexiglass and watched, feeling utterly helpless as she was hauled away, her screams eventually fading into a deafening silence. "Bow your head and weather the storm," he murmured.

_Fight them girl, fight them as hard as you can._

* * *

><p>Island Wolf: Gah I'm sorry there wasn't much by way of MaxieMay interaction - I tried to work in as much as I could, but I needed to push the plot along too. Ardos is so tricky to write, dude skeeves me out. Oh, I also just wanted to make a note for all my grammar/spelling buffs out there - I use Canadian/British spellings so if a word may look a little strange, I may have just used the alternate spelling - that or I just royally cocked it up, that tends happens when you try to write after a bottle of red wine and two Irish coffees haha.

Cheers!


	5. Bye, Bye Blackbird

Island Wolf: Guys seriously, you are the sweetest people on the interwebs :) as always thank you for the faves, follows, views and reviews. They are all massively appreciated I assure you. Anyway here we are at chapter 5, I like this one a liiiittle better than chapter 4 - there's still a few things I'm not content with, but it sets up things for chapter 6 where I get to whip out my bio knowledge (it's been so long *happy tears*). Fun fact: the title of this chapter is based off of my favourite songs, a beautiful classic from the 20's 'Bye, Bye Blackbird' - Peggy Lee has a beautiful recording of it and I highly recommend it to you all :)

Disclaimer: I own neither pokemon, nor its characters - alas!

* * *

><p>May fought tooth and nail with all her might as the guards dragged her through the maze of white washed hallways until they'd come to the chamber she'd been in yesterday. One of the guards finally seemed to lose his patience and gave her a sharp slap to the face. The other one used her stunned silence to heft her onto the table and strap her down. That done the two guards stood back and saluted the man in the lab coat before leaving the room. Ardos arrived shortly after their departure, all smiles as he entered.<p>

"Hello May, you're looking lively – excellent, Dr. Farren was concerned that you wouldn't be physically fit enough to endure today's procedure. See William? I told you she was perfect!"

"Indeed Sir," Farren replied. Farren, whom she could only assume was a scientist of some sort, forced her arm open so that he could swab the inside with disinfectant, much like Ardos had done the day before.

"Please, oh please no!" May screamed, struggling with all her might, but the straps refused to give, biting into her flesh as she strained against them until her limbs were chafed and bleeding. "Please let me go!"

"Oh I'm afraid I can't do that Miss Maple," Farren chuckled and pierced her skin with an empty syringe, drawing back on the plunger so that it filled with her blood. "You're a prime specimen; one of the best trainers in the region, has shown a great deal of adaptability in a variety of situations, responds well to a myriad of stimuli and has shown the most unique ability to commune with ancient pokémon. Absolutely fascinating, quite the feat of Darwinism you are my dear."

"What the fuck are you doing!? Why did you take my blood!?"

"Hm? Oh yes, I suppose I should explain myself shouldn't I," Farren said with a smile. "You reaction would be noteworthy in the grand scheme of our experiment!"

"Experiment?"

"Oh yes! Now, you've heard of shadow pokémon and how they are manufactured," the elderly scientist said as he inspected the puncture wound he'd just created. "The process is now quite flawless I assure you. Even if snagged, it now takes a very specific combination of variables to unlock the pokémon's heart, something I highly doubt your compatriots will be able to do with any sort of efficiency. Now, shadow pokémon are, by their nature hard to control – even our most hardened Cipher personnel still treat their pokémon as if they had emotion, even if it's on a subconscious level and this is what confuses them, causes to go into that hyper mode. What we're aiming to do with you is create a class of trainer that is capable of treating shadow pokémon as they were intended to be treated, as machines. We plan to achieve this by using a similar process on human trainers. We will be creating a 'shadow trainer' as it were – I agree the moniker is a little silly, but Master Ardos has a flair for the dramatic, don't you Sir? Now, obviously the brain structure of a human is significantly more complex than that of most pokémon so the process is more challenging, that said once it is accomplished it will be far more difficult to reverse the process. In fact I predict it will be nigh on impossible. You my dear, have the honour and the privilege to be the first of this new class of human being – the first of our elite black ops force, and you will be given the glory of commanding Kyogre and Groudon, once we get a hold of it."

"No, no!" May shrieked. "You can't, I won't do it, I won't!"

"I'm afraid you really don't have a choice," Ardos laughed, patting the back of May's hand as Farren left the room with the syringe of her blood. "Just sit tight, Dr. Farren is going to analyze your DNA and adjust our formula to you. This will trigger changes in your base genetic code, we need to prep you physically before we start digging around in that beautiful head of yours. The perfect mind must be housed by the perfect body after all."

"Ardos let me go, please!" May begged. Ardos tilted his head ever so slightly and gently brushed away her tears.

"Oh dear May, don't cry – it'll all be over soon I promise."

His voice was so gentle and so genuine that May wanted to retch. She strained to pull away, but he seized her jaw with deft fingers and forced her to look at him. Ardos' steel blue eyes traced her lower lip as he brought his other hand to her hip, running his thumb along the curve of the bone there. When she started to recoil his grip became tight, splaying his fingers across her pelvis to pin her down. "Now, now, please don't fight this May. Just let it happen, we'll take good care of you I promise."

He let go of her chin and dropped his fingers to her collarbone, smiling gently. May was suddenly very aware of just how helpless she was. This man could do anything he wanted to her right now and she wouldn't be able to do a damn thing - and that terrified her. She shut her eyes tightly and tried to send herself far, far away. She'd always been able to count on herself, on her pokémon, but now...she thought about Maxie and suddenly had a deep and new found respect for the man. He'd done a lot of terrible things, but never, _never _had he sunk so low, never had he been so cruel. She struggled to fight back a sob. Despite it all she would have given almost anything to have him here right now.

Farren reentered the room some time later carrying a syringe filled with a clear liquid with a faint purple tint. May screamed and started struggling again, but Adros held her down, forcing her arm out straight, allowing Farren to pierce her skin with the needle and push down the plunger. An icy chill started creeping up her arm as it raced along her bloodstream. When it reached her heart the palpitations were so severe that she feared that it would stop altogether. Eventually the chill receded and left her limp and gasping on the table. Ardos smiled and pushed her sweat-dampened hair away from her face. She felt sick.

"There, there that wasn't so bad now was it?" he crooned. His hand trailed down her side, hooking his long fingers just beneath the hem of her shirt. He toyed with the fabric and smiled. "We're almost done for the day, just one more little thing."

Farren stepped forward again, holding a wicked looking metal device. He held it over her wrist and pressed the trigger. There was a soft, pneumatic hiss and May felt a sharp pain shoot up her arm. The elderly scientist removed the device and dabbed away the blood oozing out of the puncture wound. He produced a PDA like device and held it over her wrist. There was a soft, electronic beep and he smiled. "The implant is functioning perfectly Sir."

"Excellent," Ardos murmured, running his finger against the new wound, sending a shiver up May's spine. "We just implanted you with a bio-chip; it monitors your vital signs and will give us your precise location at all times so we can look after you. Now don't worry May, you won't turn into my perfect shadow over night, that's going to take time – we need to condition you and make some...enhancements. First things first, I need to get rid of that stubborn determination of yours. I find pain to be the most persuasive of my employees. It worked splendidly on that Blaziken of yours. You should see him now! I haven't seen such a powerful creature in quite some time! Ah, but we'll talk about that later. I'm going to return you to your cell now. You should rest while you can, things are going to be much harder from here on out."

May screamed. She screamed for her mother and father, she screamed for Maxie - she screamed until her voice gave out and the world dissolved around her.

* * *

><p>"Hello Mr. Asher, pardon me I was just escorting your companion back."<p>

Maxie turned sharply and what he saw made him see red.

Ardos, flanked by two gun-toting Cipher agents, came walking down the hall with May held limply in his arms. A snarl that would have put a Mightyena to shame ripped itself from Maxie's throat. "Ardos what the hell are you doing! What have you done to her!?"

"I've put her on the path to perfection," Ardos smiled. The syndicate leader looked pointedly at the guard to his left, who promptly used a key card to unlock and open the cell door. Ardos walked inside, completely disregarding Maxie's presence as he deposited her on to the cot. He left the room and only when the door had been locked again did he turn back to look at his prisoners. "I'd be careful when she wakes up. She might be a little...moody."

With that he left, laughing to himself and Maxie carefully approached the woman laying prone in the corner. He checked her pulse and was relieved to find it steady and strong beneath his fingers. She appeared to be sedated and he noted that there were several more puncture marks along the inside of her arm as well as sinister looking bruises on her hip where her shirt had ridden up. _What the hell has he done to you?_

Sighing, he eased himself down next to the cot, resting his back against the wall. He hadn't realized he'd fallen asleep until his was awoken by a strange sound and a fierce pain in his chest. Blinking owlishly he glanced over at May and was alarmed to find her covered in a thin sheen of sweat, her back arching up from the cot as a harsh sound rumbled deep in her throat. Maxie shifted onto his knees and attempted calm her.

"Miss Maple what -"

As soon as his fingers brushed against her skin her eyes flew open and snapped towards him. Her pupils had dilated to an alarming degree; the azure eyes he'd come to know were engulfed by two pools of crushing darkness, a silver of pale blue ringing them. Her lips skinned back over her teeth in a vicious snarl as she threw herself at him, hands latching tightly around his throat. He saw stars as the back of his head hit the floor and his vision continued to waver as she applied crushing pressure onto his windpipe. He was on the verge of passing out when he finally managed to collect his wits. He grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled, effectively headbutting her. That seemed to catch her off guard and she relinquished her hold, falling backwards with a snarling yelp. He stayed on his back, trying very hard to breathe again, but between the injured ribs and bruised windpipe it was exceedingly difficult.

"M-Maxie?"

Her voice was hushed, hoarse and very scared, but he still couldn't see straight, let alone sit up to face her. Cold, but gentle hands were suddenly on him, brushing the hair away from his face and caressing the bruises forming on his throat. He blinked and finally his vision started to clear. She was hovering above him, tears running openly down her face. Her eyes were no longer deep voids of black, but neither were they the bright, azure orbs he'd come to know. They were darker and seemed clouded and dim. "Maxie I'm so, so sorry I don't know – I don't know what happened! I just couldn't control myself -"

"Calm down girl," he managed to rasp out. "The last thing I need is you in hysterics gah -"

He couldn't quite bite back a cry of pain when she unwittingly settled a hand on his chest, pressing down slightly on one of his cracked ribs. She flinched and immediately drew her hand back. "What is it? What did I do?"

"No, no it's fine that's – from before."

"...So they did hurt you."

The change in her voice was so sudden and so stark that Maxie nearly passed out from the pain when he inhaled sharply. Her lips were drawn back in a snarl again and her eyes had darkened, a growl rumbling deep in her throat. "Miss Maple! Snap out of it!"

She flinched and started to shiver. "Maxie?"

He slowly tried to sit up and she placed a supporting hand beneath his back, guiding him to the cell wall so he could lean against it. His breathing was ragged and he didn't want to think about how much damage she'd done when she'd tackled him to the ground.

"What – did they do to you?" he asked through gritted teeth. "Tell me everything."

May drew her knees up to her chest again – a nervous habit of hers he was beginning to suspect. "A shadow...they're trying to turn me into a human shadow."

Maxie felt his blood run cold at her hushed admission.

"That's impossible, how would they even -"

"I'm not sure about the details, but – so far they've injected me with some kind of mutagen. From what I understand it's supposed to target my DNA...change me physically to prepare me for the next stage of treatment. That's all I know."

Her voice was barely above a whisper when she finished talking and Maxie felt truly horrified. The young woman's world was imploding; she was watching herself turn into a shell of a human being knowing full well that her hands would be dripping with red when Ardos put her into service. It would have been a mercy just to kill her and yet...

He reached out and gently took hold of her hand, pulling her towards him. He turned her, easing her into a sitting position against the wall next to him and curled his arm around her shoulders. _What am I doing?_

"Maxie what -"

"Hush and just listen to me," he said. "We'll figure something out."

"...We?"

"Yes, we," he sighed and he felt her relax slightly. She curled up, nestling herself firmly into his side without hesitation and looked up at him with tired eyes, but there was the ghost of a smile hovering around her lips.

"Maxie – I'm so sorry I attacked you. I swear if you manage to figure a way to get us out of here, your next bottle of Dalmore is on me."

He laughed softly – what else could he do? It was better than giving in to despair. Still, it gave him a little bit of heart knowing that the feisty young woman he knew was still in there somewhere. He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I'll be holding you to that."

"My only request is that your first drink of it is with me."

"Oh really? Miss Maple, has anyone ever told you how demanding you are?"

"On numerous occasions, so do we have a deal?"

"Yes," Maxie huffed, though there was humour in his voice and he heard her laugh.

"Then it's a date."

"Don't let Mr. Stone hear you say that, I'd rather not have to worry about yet another attempt on my life," he said and then looked down at her with a wicked grin. "I do make a rather splendid salmon risotto though, so you'll have that to look forward to."

She gaped at him for a moment before dissolving into a fit of giggling and she had to bury her face into his side to stifle her laughter. Eventually they lapsed into silence and for a moment he thought she'd fallen asleep until she whispered softly.

"...Maxie I want you to promise me something."

"What?"

"Please don't leave me here alone. Just – stay with me as long as you can before I..."

She couldn't finish the sentence as her voice failed her, but she didn't have to. Maxie leaned his head back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling. For so long he had desired to see the young woman in his arms beaten down, for so long he'd craved retribution for his defeat, his humiliation and yet – here she was, on the verge of truly being broken and he wanted nothing more than to shield her from the monsters and take her away from all the death and the fear. He closed his eyes and sighed. No, it was the stress, it was the loss, they were forced into this situation together it was only natural to -

_You're a terrible liar old boy, you've lost your touch_

He didn't care, he couldn't care.

_Liar, liar, liar_

He gritted his teeth at the little voice whispering in the back of his mind.

He'd had plenty of chances to hurt her in the past, but he hadn't acted on any of them. Why? Perhaps he didn't want to see her beaten down after all – he'd wanted to fight her yes, to pit himself against a worthy opponent and see those azure eyes ablaze. He'd wanted the challenge and perhaps to prove himself against the girl who'd saved the world from the hubris of two bitter, foolish men. She wasn't afraid of a fight, she was stubborn, she didn't know when to quit, and she vexed him at every turn, but gods be damned if he wasn't a little bit fond of her for it. To see her sitting there, completely lost and afraid – a quivering shadow of her former glory, it pained him.

The realization was startling, and it felt like the axis of the earth had shifted beneath him, but there was no time to think about it. He tightened his grip around her and she rested her head against his chest. Here she was again, trusting him completely as she slipped into a doze in his arms. The faith she put in him, it was...

"I will...I promise."

* * *

><p>"Oh, now isn't this touching. I'm almost sorry to break this up."<p>

Maxie started awake at the sound of Ardos' voice and reflexively tightened his grip on the young woman still in his arms. She moaned softly and stirred as the door to the cell door opened and Ardos, flanked by his usual two guards came inside. Maxie snarled and quickly repositioned himself in front of May.

Ardos tilted his head to one side ever so slightly, his thin lips curling upwards in a smile that could only be called Machiavellian. Maxie heard May whimper behind him and he set his jaw. "My, my awfully protective of her aren't you – this girl that you've wanted to bring down for years. Are you perhaps jealous that I managed to do it first hm?" He paused and his smile widened. "No, no that's not it at all. I have to say I'm surprised you let yourself get so attached so quickly, but she is a remarkable young woman so I can understand the allure. Now move aside Mr. Asher lest you try my patience."

"I'm not going to let you harm her."

"You forget Mr. Asher, I'm not harming her – I am _perfecting_ her," Ardos said, "and there is nothing you can do to stop it. She belongs to me, and I will do whatever I want with her. Now then, time is precious and I cannot afford to waste a single moment."

On cue one of Ardos' bodyguards pulled out a silver canister and tossed it into the room. It immediately began emitting a pale smoke and Maxie swore. Ardos laughed as he and his guards backed out of the cell. The door was pulled shut again, containing the knockout gas to the chamber. Behind him May was shaking violently, gripping on to his arm like a lifeline. "I don't want him to take me, please – please!"

"I'm sorry," he said, turning to face her. "Close your eyes."

She did so and he quickly moved behind her. He wrapped one arm around the front of her shoulders and brought the other up to the side of her head. Just one deft twist and it would be over – she wouldn't know what was going on, she wouldn't feel a thing...it would be a kindness to her, and gods only knew how many lives he'd spare by denying Ardos his 'perfect shadow'...

But damn it, _damn it_ all to fucking hell and back, he couldn't do it.

He felt his breathing hitch and pulled her close so that he could whisper in her ear. "You're going to pass out in a few seconds so listen carefully. No matter what they do, you need to hold on to yourself for as long as you can. I will do everything in my power to help you, I promise."

"But what if -"

"I won't leave without you," Maxie growled fiercely, fighting hard against the fog beginning to cloud his senses. "Even if Ardos turns you. I won't leave you behind."

She twisted around in his arms and through the haze he could see her smile. She reached up and gently took his face in her hands, touching her forehead to his. Maxie closed his eyes against the stabbing pain he felt ripping through his chest that had nothing to do with his injuries. "I know," she whispered before the knockout gas finally took effect and she slumped forward. He caught her and glared over her unconscious form at Ardos' hazy image. _I will kill you for this Ardos, I swear – I will __**end**__ you._

He slipped into darkness with her name on his lips. When he awoke he was completely alone.

* * *

><p>It had been two days - or so he assumed, there was no real way to keep track of time aside from the guard rotation – and there was no sign of May.<p>

There was little he could do but walk the length of his cell and occasionally try to sleep, but his dreams were filled with visions of azure eyes and blood on the snow. He was in the middle of a particularly vicious fit of pacing when a voice made him freeze in his tracks.

"My, my someone seems agitated."

Maxie turned sharply on the spot and clasped his hands behind his back – he refused to be intimidated by the blue haired man smirking on the other side of the Plexiglas wall. He raised his chin by way of a challenge and sneered. "What do you want Ardos, finally come to dispose of me?"

"Dispose of you? Oh no," Ardos laughed, his ice blue eyes flashing behind his tinted glasses. "Well not yet anyway."

"State your business Ardos, I'm a busy man."

"Now that's what I expect of the fearsome head of Team Magma," Ardos replied, grinning broadly. "Come back to you senses now that the girl is gone."

Maxie narrowed his eyes, but refused to let the other man goad him into a rage. It was true after all – he'd been worried yes, and almost sick with fear at times, but without her here he could at least think a little more clearly. He had to remain focused, detached...for both their sakes. "Ardos..."

"Now, now can't I check on my guests to see how they're faring hm? I've been hoping to speak to you one on one for some time now. Now let's see, Maximilian Nathaniel Asher, born into a very well to do family – Asher is an old name with old money. You joined the Hoenn military when you were eighteen and saw service in the North Wars twenty years back where you received special commendations. You retired shortly thereafter with the rank of Captain despite being well on your way to Major and founded Team Magma. Have I missed anything?"

"It seems you have me at a disadvantage – and if this is how your treat your guests, I'd hate to see how you treat your prisoners."

Ardos smile widened. "I don't take prisoners."

Inwardly Maxie was fuming. Ardos was purposely guiding the conversation in circles, waiting until he finally asked about May. That was the point of this visit after all and that thought bothered him greatly – Ardos was a man who knew that psychological torture would be a far more effective tool against him than physical abuse. He knew how to play the game.

"Where is she?"

Ardos' grin reminded him of a Seviper. "Still undergoing treatment. The first stage is almost complete and I have to say she's preforming well above expectations. Ah, but I suppose I should elaborate – would you care to listen?"

"I don't have any pressing engagements."

"Good man," Ardos chuckled. "I'm sure she told you that we started her off with a series of injections to stimulate physical changes at the molecular level."

"You altered her DNA."

"Well that's pushing it a bit. It's merely a few base substitutions in select genes to manipulate the proteins that they code for. The result is a trainer who is just as dangerous as her pokémon in a physical sense; greater actin fibre density, increased bone density, higher physical endurance...we considered increased cellular regeneration, but it's far too troublesome logistically speaking – shortens the lifespan of the organism and allows for a higher risk of mutation," Ardos sighed, almost sounding regretful. "We learned that the hard way with Mr. Caspian I'm afraid."

"Caspian – Archie?" Maxie said, eyes widening.

"Yes, we took Mr. Caspian when we liquidated Team Aqua so that we could continue testing our human shadow protocol. He was the most successful specimen prior to Miss Maple, alas the second stage of treatment proved too much for him. He was such a promising candidate too," Ardos sighed, shaking his head. He looked at Maxie again and smirked. "You were going to be our next test subject, but we felt that we'd learned enough from Mr. Caspian's trial to go ahead with Miss Maple's procedure."

"Then why have I not been disposed of?"

"I'm an opportunist Mr. Asher, you are still of use to me, ergo you will remain here until you are not."

"I see...might I enquire as to the next steps in Miss Maple's procedure?"

"Curious Mr. Asher? I can appreciate that. We've been _conditioning_ her over the past two days and – now this is where it gets exciting – we finally get to start the neurosurgery."

"Neuro – you're going to operate on her _brain_!?"

"Well of course. Humans are significantly more complex than pokémon, especially in terms of brain structure. Pokémon, even the most intelligent species, lack the complex cerebral cortex that humans do – they are still primarily instinctual creatures which makes them far easier to control. A few drug injections here, an implant or two there and you have a perfectly obedient machine. A human brain is much different. It needs to be...rewired."

Maxie couldn't speak, he couldn't even breathe. Ardos was still talking, but he'd stopped listening long ago. All he could think about was May stretched out on an operating table somewhere with that horrible lab rat of a man cutting into her. When he came back to his senses Ardos was watching him with a wide smile. "Oh touched a nerve have I?" he said. "Here, I'll make you a deal Mr. Asher – I promise to let you view the finished product of my work when she's ready. In fact, it will be the last thing you ever see."

"I thought you said I was still of use to you."

"Oh you are...as a final test," Ardos said. "You feature prominently in Miss Maple's psyche, did you know that? The only reason she's complied with anything we've told her is by assuring her that it would guarantee your safety. She's rather fond of you it would seem – perhaps she has a masochistic streak? In any case, disposing of you would be an excellent final test. If she manages to complete it than the procedure will be deemed a complete success. At least you'll get to see her again before the end, I hope you find that comforting."

He turned sharply on his heel and left, whistling an obscenely cheery tune that echoed through the white-washed hallways.

Silence fell again, but it didn't last long. Maxie let out a roar and slammed his fist against the Plexiglas. The skin of his knuckles split and left an ugly red smear in its wake. He'd expected something underhanded from Ardos, but that had been a level of low he hadn't been prepared for. He moved to the cot and sat down on its edge, head in his hands. Dying wasn't a troubling concept for him – he'd stared down that path far too many times, but having May be the method of his execution – that bothered him.

Maxie exhaled heavily. He'd made a grave error in letting Ardos see his concern for her. _Poor girl..._Damn him, he couldn't even think about her harshly anymore. Ever since that night she'd come to his room she'd been ghosting through his thoughts. He doubted she even realized what an effect she'd had on him – she'd shown a great deal of trust, coming to him in such a vulnerable state. It had bothered him immensely. This was a girl he'd threatened, attacked and viciously scorned on multiple occasions, and yet ever since that night, despite all that he had done, she'd shown nothing but complete faith in him. He remembered the way she'd held him in the helicopter, the gentle way she'd touched him after her attack. She hadn't recoiled when he'd reached out to her, she'd been -

When he'd told her that he would find a way to help her, that he wouldn't leave her behind she'd believed him. He could see it in her eyes, those thrice damned beautiful eyes. He felt his throat tighten.

_Oh no_

He'd gone from despising her, to begrudgingly respecting her, to – somehow, _somehow_, she'd become important to him. Within the space of two weeks his entire world had been destroyed; his pride, his people, everything he'd worked so hard to rebuild after the Groudon incident – gone. Except her. She was all he had left and hell be damned if he was going to let Ardos take her away.

* * *

><p>It was over a week before Ardos came to see him again.<p>

"Good day Mr. Asher, are you ready to see the fruits of our labour?"

"I suspect I don't have much of a choice."

Ardos smiled and swiped his card key through the electronic lock. It beeped and the door swung open. Ardos stood to one side and beckoned Maxie to follow him. Maxie narrowed his eyes and did his best to straighten his shirt and hair. He would face the firing squad with dignity.

He followed Ardos through the maze of white washed hallways until they came to a large, arena like space – a training ground of sorts not unlike the one that had been in the subbasement of the Magma headquarters, but far more sinister. It was cold and damp like a tomb and the floor was stained in what was almost certainly blood. A Mightyena stood panting and whining in the centre of the battlefield. It was sporting numerous numerous open wounds and its limbs were trembling from exhaustion. Maxie inhaled sharply – he recognized the beleaguered canine. "Gabriel!"

The Mightyena's ears perked and the wolf-like pokémon turned to look at him, letting out a long, low whine before turning back to face -

_No_

She'd been standing so inhumanly still that he hadn't noticed her. Clad in black neoprene and layered with ebony body armour she now truly looked the part of a shadow. A visored helmet covered her head, her face hidden behind a holographic display presumably used to communicate orders and calculate attack variables. Thick cables connected various parts of the suit together, some feeding directly into ports that were embedded in the pale silver of skin at the base of her neck, visible at the junction of helm and backplate. Behind her, peering around a stack of computer equipment was Professor Farren, typing furiously with a gleeful smile. "Alpha-XD1, your master is present."

May, or rather what used to be May turned sharply to face them. She brought up her right arm and crossed it across her chest by way of salute. Beside him Ardos smiled and looked to Farren. "Running a new experiment I see?"

"Yes, the rest of her party have already undergone shadow treatment – they were valuable specimens, but we already have a surplus of Mightyena so I thought I would test her physical capabilities to see what she can manage on her own."

"Excellent! Well why don't you finish up and then we'll proceed on to the final test!" Ardos said with a smile and turned to Maxie. "You're in luck, you get to witness what she can do first hand – before she does the same to you. Such wonderful timing!"

Farren retreated behind the computer array. "Alpha-XD1, eliminate target."

May turned to face her Mightyena again and bent her legs slightly. She became a black blur and crossed the field with speed that wasn't human. She seized the canine by the throat, ignoring his pained yelping and slammed him into the ground with a sickening crack. Blood flowed freely out of the pokémon's mouth as she hauled him up by the scruff of his neck. Curling her other arm around the canine's head she twisted sharply. There was a loud snap and Gabriel went limp, gazing at Maxie with glassy, sightless eyes. May dropped the carcass and drew back up to full height, standing stock still and gazing ahead, but it didn't seem like her gaze was focused on anything in particular.

Maxie wanted to be sick.

Ardos had done the unthinkable. He had taken everything that was May Maple and utterly _destroyed_ it. The laughing, witty, _beautiful_ girl with the azure eyes was gone and a cold, killing machine had taken her place. He should have killed her when he had the chance – if May ever did recover, he doubted she'd ever be whole again, not with the knowledge that she'd killed one of her dearest companions with her own hands and gods only knew what else Ardos had already forced her to do.

Ardos walked across the arena, placing an arm around May's shoulders with something akin to pride. "Isn't she amazing? Absolutely stunning form, no hesitation," he said. He unhooked the thick cable the connected her visored helm to the base of her neck and a port that he assumed connected with her spinal chord, and removed the helmet. May didn't even blink at the motion and Maxie started to doubt whether she was even aware of what was going on. Those eyes, those soulless black eyes were lifeless and cold. "She came through the treatment with flying colours. The enhancements are functioning far better than we ever could have hoped. Look."

He produced a small switchblade and unsheathed it. He carefully gripped her chin with one hand and drew the knife blade across her cheek. Blood welled up between the parted flesh, slowly rolling down her face like macabre tears, but she didn't flinch, she didn't react...she didn't even blink. Ardos smiled and replaced the helmet and reconnected the cable. The visor flickered and the display came back to life, hiding her dead eyes from view. "See? No reaction to pain, no emotion. She is flawless!" he crowed as he pocketed his knife.

"Seems rather inefficient if you have to input key commands for every little thing."

"Ah, the stiff upper lip right to the bitter end. You're such a military man Mr. Asher. Farren has to use commands yes, but me..." he said and then snapped his fingers. "Alpha-XD1 return to your starting position."

Almost immediately the visor pulsed with light and she turned sharply on her heel, crossing the field with mechanical precision in her gait. "You see the neural implants are coded to respond to my particular voice pattern and transforms them into electrical impulses that translate to commands in her brain. Farren _really_ out did himself."

"You're too kind Sir!"

"Now then, I'm afraid we can't stall this any longer. Alpha-XD1, that man there is your target...eliminate him."

He didn't even see her move. One moment she was standing at the far end of the field and the next she'd seized him by the front of his shirt and lifted him clean off of the ground, throwing him into the centre of the arena. He landed hard on his back, knocking the wind out of him, but he didn't have any time to recover. Her gauntleted hand latched around his throat like a vice with a savage strength that should not have been possible. Blackness was encroaching upon the edges of his vision when old instincts finally kicked in. He brought his knee up and jammed it into her side. It hardly seemed to faze her, but it gave him just enough space to hook his leg in behind her left knee. Her strength was superhuman, but he had sheer mass on his side and we wedged an arm between them, pushing her to one side and using his leg to knock her off balance.

She was thrown off of him from the manoeuvre, but she immediately rolled into a predatory crouch, and launched herself at him again. He rolled out of the way, barely avoiding her armoured fist as it created a small crater in the arena floor where his head had been. He'd just manage to get to his feet when she bull-rushed him, head down like a Tauros. Any healing progress he'd made during the week was immediately undone and then some as he felt his ribs crack from the force of the blow. They fell to the ground, but Maxie used the momentum of her charge to force her into a roll where he ended up on top of her. He struggled to keep her arms pinned down. "May, snap out of it – you know who I am!"

She twisted out of his grasp and forced them into another roll, effectively reversing their positions, pressing her knee against his sternum ruthlessly

"May please! Remember who I am, remember what I promised you!"

There it was, the slightest easing of the pressure on his chest – the barest hint of hesitation.

"Come on May, come back – please come back," he wheezed desperately. "May please!"

The lights on her visor flickered and she started to lean back when Ardos' voice, cold and commanding cut across the arena. "Alpha-XD1, eliminate your target!"

A spasm racked her body and she immediately started applying pressure again, grabbing him by the throat and squeezing mercilessly. Maxie struggled against her grip, but to no avail – there was no breaking her hold and he was far to exhausted to fight her any longer. He closed his eyes and felt the world begin to slip away into soft, muffled darkness.

An explosion rocked the building and the world suddenly came rushing back into painful clarity. The pressure on his throat and chest disappeared and he gasped for air. Smoke and dust were heavy in the air, alarms were screaming and the harsh tattoo of automatic gunfire echoed throughout the building. Maxie sat up and saw a silver haired man come striding through the gloom, a fierce looking Skarmory at his side. Steven Stone was nearly unrecognizable in dark grey Kevlar and a Beretta in his hand. "Where's May?"

As if on cue she came barrelling out of the haze. Her armoured fist slammed into the side of the Skarmory's head with a resounding clang, sending the steel-plated bird slamming into the opposite wall. Before Maxie could call out Steven raised his gun and squeezed off three shots, two of the bullets embedded themselves harmlessly into her body armour, but the third grazed the visor. A spiderweb of cracks snaked across the display. It flickered several times before the holographic display died altogether. Slowly, she reached up and grabbed the broken interface, snapping it off with one deft twist of her wrist. She tossed it aside and turned to look at Steven with her face uncovered for the first time.

"M-May!?"

"Steven get away from her, she's not May anymore!"

She was staring at the both of them, apparently unsure which one of them to target. Maxie looked around. Ardos and Farren were nowhere to be seen – this was their only chance. Like any machine, if there was no one to input the programming she was useless. "Steven quickly, incapacitate her!"

"How?"

"You have pokémon idiot boy! Use Sleep Powder, Stun Spore – just do something!"

Steven glared at him, but produced a pokéball nonetheless. His Vileplume appeared in a flash of light. May instantly dropped into that deadly crouch of hers, but before she could launch herself forward the Vileplume shook its flowered head and enveloped her in a cloud of glittering green spores. She huffed and skittered backwards, sneezing and coughing. She dropped down onto all fours and slowly started to succumb to the effects of the spores. Steven was already on the radio, barking for an emergency evacuation. Maxie felt his legs buckle and he was suddenly on his knees, retching. His mouth tasted like copper and salt and he pitched forward into blissful oblivion.

* * *

><p>Island Wolf: Awww yiss, now we gettin' to the good stuff son! So there was a little more MaxieMay interaction this time on a more intimate level - this bothered me for the longest time because I thought it was happening a little too quickly, but when I looked back and reexamined the scenario I managed to pick some sense out of it. The two of them have suffered from a great deal of physical and mental trauma in a very short space of time and they really only have each other to look to. Maxie, while yes he was a villain in the past, we have to remember that his endgame and his motives (even if they were a bit...misguided) were to _help_ people and pokemon as a whole. So yes he's abrasive and acerbic and not the nicest of individuals, but he's not evil at heart and therein lies my defense of this chapter and the changes I've made to it from Ashes to Ashes. So in summary, May is undergoing severe mental torture and she has no one to rely on but Maxie while Maxie, experienced as he is being a war veteran and all, has also suffered a severe blow - his entire life, everything he has worked for since the Groudon incident has been destroyed and May is all that he really has at the moment. Poor bloke has been through a lot in his life and one can only take so much. The fact that May, despite it all, still treats him like a human being and shows him genuine compassion also means quite a lot to him in my mind - it's something he's not used to.

Also Ardos is slowly getting creepier with every paragraph, it's tough to write - dude seriously skeeves me out.

Anywaaaays, until next time, stay classy you fine, fine people ;)


	6. Tomorrow will be kinder

Island Wolf: You sweet, sweet people, gosh the fans of this ship are just the best! :) Now this chapter is dry and smacks of filler, but it had to be done I'm afraid. Still, I hope you all enjoy it - oh and shout out to frozenmadame! Check out her Tumblr for all sorts of Redorbshipping goodness! Teammaxie on Tumblr also has some absolutely wicked Redorbshipping fics, check it ouuuuut.

Chapter title based on the song "Tomorrow will be Kinder" by the Secret Sisters

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon or its characters. Also there will be a a significant amount of neuroscience being discussed here let me be the first to say (before I get yelled at by someone) I AM NOT AN EXPERT, DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING YOU READ AS THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH, THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION, KEEP THAT IN MIND.

And to any neuroscientists out there *cowers* please don't hurt me, my degree was in ecology, not neurology T_T

* * *

><p>"Hey Boss, good to have you back."<p>

Maxie blinked against the expanse of whiteness that threatened to blind him. He felt disoriented, his chest ached fiercely and his left hand itched with the familiar discomfort of an IV. It took him a moment to realize that he was in a hospital room and that Tabitha was sitting in a chair next to his bedside. The younger man smiled, but it was weak and tired, and the deep shadows under his eyes told the tale of several sleepless nights. "Tabitha?" he rasped. Christ, his throat felt like is was lined with sandpaper. "Where – what – ?"

"Take it easy Boss, you've had a rough go of it," Tabitha said, raising his hand in a calming gesture. "First off you're in Ever Grande at the League's private medical facility – you've been here for three days."

"How -"

"Two broken ribs, three more cracked and a sternal fracture. They had to put you on a ventilator your first night here."

"Are you going to let me finish my sentences?"

"Sorry."

Maxie closed his eyes and drew a deep, steadying breath – or at least as deep as his broken ribs would allow. "What happened during the raid? How did you even find us?"

"Miles, the poor bastard," Tabitha answered with a sad smile. "Just before you crashed he switched on the aircraft EPIRB and sent out a broadband Mayday. We found the crash sites and recovered the flight data recorders. The cockpit radio recordings mentioned Kamovs – we calculated a search radius based on how far they could've flown before needing to refuel. Took some time, but we managed."

"What about Ardos?"

"Scarpered before we could grab him unfortunately. On the bright side we definitely struck Cipher a blow; that base was a major R&D facility, we recovered a lot of shadow pokémon - some of your team among them, and a nice bit of data before the computer hard-drives were remotely wiped."

"...And Miss Maple?"

Tabitha dropped his gaze to his lap, fidgeting uncomfortably. "They managed to recover her, but it's – it's not looking good," he said quietly. "They've been keeping her sedated and running tests, but from what I've heard it's not a pretty picture."

"Two more questions: where is Mr. Stone and where are my clothes?"

"Sir, I really don't think -"

"Tabitha, broken ribs or not I will throw you through the goddamn the wall if you don't start moving, on the double – and don't forget my glasses!"

"Right, be back in a tick!"

* * *

><p>Walking was proving to be one of the most difficult tasks he'd taken on in a long time, even with his chest wrapped every breath felt like a knife was being thrust into his side. Tabitha led him through the facility and for that Maxie was grateful – he would have had a hell of a time trying to find his way alone. They ascended several floors into a hallway that seemed to be comprised mainly of offices and Tabitha stopped in front of a door bearing a plaque labelled 'Dr. Marcus Villiard'. He knocked; there was a beat of silence before the door opened to reveal a middle-aged man with sable hair and blue eyes that stood out brightly against his olive skin. "Ah Mr. Rauche, Mr. Asher, I was wondering when you would show up. Please, come in."<p>

The room was dark, the back wall containing a series of back-lit panels that held what appeared to be a series of brain scans. Maxie felt nausea twist deep in his gut. Steven Stone stood in the back corner, focused intently on the scans – the only acknowledgement he gave to Maxie's presence was a brief side-long glance. The doctor shut the door and moved to stand in front of them. He leaned back against his office desk, interlacing his fingers together.

"I assume you're here to enquire about May Maple's condition."

"You'd be correct."

"Her situation is – complicated to say the least," Villiard sighed. "The process they used to change Miss Maple was very complex. They have manipulated her genetic structure on the molecular level to change certain aspects of her physicality; to put it simply she is stronger, faster and more durable than a normal human. This is irreparable, but in the grand scheme of things it's the least of our concerns."

"How so?"

The doctor pressed his lips together in a hard line and walked over to the wall of brain scans, using a pen from his breast pocket as a pointer. "The amount of surgery they have done is far more intensive than we'd originally thought. Almost every part of her brain has been operated on and altered with some form of neural enhancement or control implant. That in combination with a multitude of drugs is what has been keeping her under Ardos' control.

"What sort of drugs?"

"Neural-inhibitors, injections of neurotransmitters, hormone controlling drugs, you name it – they're all designed to control her behaviour, mainly by suppressing the flight-or-fight reaction of the sympathetic nervous system and mood altering neurotransmitters like dopamine."

"What about her brain?" Steven asked quietly, still not taking his eyes off of the scans.

"I'm honestly at a loss as to how they accomplished such extensive surgeries and implanting procedures within a two week span – the methods and technology are completely unknown to me," he said. "From what we can tell there are two types of implants. The ones here on her cerebellum, temporal lobes and occipital lobe seemed to be designed to amplify her acuity of her senses and motor coordination. Here on the lower part of her brain and brain stem on the pons and hypothalamus are more control implants, these would have homeostatic control over involuntary things like temperature and basal needs like hunger. They've even managed to graft an implant onto her pituitary gland for further hormonal control. That said, it's her cerebral cortex that has me worried."

He moved over to another set of scans. "The cerebral cortex, mainly the frontal lobe here is what makes a person uniquely them. In addition to all of its other functions, its the part of the brain responsible for personality, for moral thinking. This is where the most extensive surgery has been applied. I'm trying not to be too technical here but – these implants have basically circumvented the parts of the brain we have associated with free thought. According to the research notes we found they have been programmed to respond to Ardos' voice patterns to translate them into her 'thoughts' as it were via electrical impulses. They can also be activated remotely by the computer program Dr. Farren was apparently using."

Maxie pinched the bridge of his nose, trying in vain to fend off the headache building behind his eyes. Every medical term, every gesture to those horrid black and white scans sent a sickening blow to his very core. "So what does this all mean in terms of prognosis? What are her treatment options?"

"The DNA alterations I can't do anything about, but as I said they are the least of our concerns anyway. I can try, though it would be an incredibly high risk procedure, to remove the neural implants. From what I've seen in the scans I can remove most of them, but there are several embedded deep into the frontal lobe that I dare not touch."

"But those are the ones suppressing her emotion and personality!"

"Yes, but I run the risk of damaging the surrounding brain tissue if I try to remove them. If that were to occur I could essentially lobotomize her and then there would be no hope for recovery," Villiard said, shaking his head. "I – I do have one possible theory."

"Yes?"

"If I am able to remove all of the other implants her body should return to normal physically, aside from the genetic manipulations of course. We'll have to keep her on a drug regimen until she can produce adequate amounts of the neurotransmitters and hormones that were being suppressed," he said, twisting the pen in his hands nervously. "This is where it gets complicated. We are lucky in the sense that Farren created little to no lesions on her brain when he installed the implants, how he managed that I'll never know, and that Miss Maple is also still relatively young which means her brain plasticity should still be at an adequately high level. I'm thinking that once the other implants are removed and her body chemistry is brought to a more normal level she can undergo a therapy regimen of sorts – to reteach her how to, essentially, be human again. This should, in theory, stimulate the frontal lobe of her brain. I'm hoping that, without input from Ardos or his program that this stimulus will be enough to overload the implants and that her brain plasticity will allow her to lay down new neural pathways to bypass them."

"And you think this is a legitimate option?" Steven asked, his eyes alight with a desperate and feverish hope. "What are the potential risks?"

"Well for starters we might not even get through the removal stage – brain surgery is never a certain thing. A lot can go wrong. If we manage to make it past that phase there's still no guarantee that my idea will even work, like I said it's just a theory and lastly...well..."

"What? What is it?" the Champion pressed. Villiard twisted the pen in his hands again, shifting his weight from side to side as he obviously tried to figure out how to say his next words.

"Miss Maple has been through a high degree of trauma – there was evidence of torture, all of the surgeries, the fact that she was forced to kill one of her own pokémon and there were...pardon me Sirs, but there were signs of sexual assault."

Tile cracked sharply as Steven let out a roar of rage and slammed his fist into the wall, shattering the gemstone set in one of his many rings. Maxie's reaction was far less visceral, but the doctor took one look at him and backed away several paces. Tabitha placed a hand on his arm and murmured quietly. "Boss, you need to calm down – you look like you're going to murder someone."

"Oh, but I am," he growled out before turning his gaze back onto the doctor. "So what are you implying exactly?"

"I – I just want you to be aware of what has happened to her. Even if my theory turns out to be correct I'm not sure if the process would be gradual, or if it would be a simultaneous failure. If the latter were to occur it – it might be too much for her to handle. She'll come back only break mentally and slip into a psychotic state."

"What's the alternative?"

"There really isn't one. I can still remove the other implants and get her body chemistry as close to normal as I possibly can, but she will be largely still without emotion or capable of much free thought."

"How long," Steven said hoarsely. "How long would it take to bring her back?"

"I honestly have no idea, but if I were to guess I would say several months at least," Villiard replied. "Furthermore she would need to be kept in relative isolation. She is still very dangerous and too much stimuli may cause her to react instinctively in what she would consider self defense. I propose that her exposure be limited to one person, preferably in a secluded area."

"But who, a therapist?"

"No, no this would have to be someone she has a previous connection to, a strong and positive bond preferably."

"Then I'll do it."

"With all due respect Mr. Stone, you are needed in our efforts against Cipher," the doctor replied, shaking his head. "The League nor the government can afford to have you disappear for months on end, especially not after the success of our recent counterattack."

"I'll do it."

All eyes turned on him and Maxie stood as straight as he could. Steven looked absolutely murderous, his features cast into sharp relief by the light panels. "You have to be joking," he sneered. "Did you not hear the doctor when he said it should be someone with a _positive_ relationship with her."

"Listen boy," Maxie snapped, summoning as much venom in his voice as he could muster, "you have no idea what she's been through these past few weeks! You didn't have to watch her suffer, you didn't have to watch that lunatic strip her of her humanity!"

"As if you bloody fucking care," Steven hissed. "You've hated her for years!"

Maxie felt sorely tempted to plant his fist into the younger man's jaw, but he drew a steadying breath through his nose and drew up to full height despite the pain rippling through his chest. "Feelings change Mr. Stone. I made that girl a promise, one I intend to keep."

Steven looked aghast at the quiet admission and he seemed at a loss for words. The doctor looked nervously between them and sensing a lull in the conflict he seized his chance. "Might I suggest something?" he enquired timidly. "This doesn't have to be settled right away, it is going to take several, lengthy procedures – it'll take me a week at least. Once the implants have been removed I think it will be safe to bring her out of sedation and then we can preform a very simple test. We'll ask Mr. Asher to meet with Miss Maple and I will monitor the results – if the initial readings are positive then I will sanction the treatment."

"You can't be serious -"

"Mr. Stone, this might be Miss Maple's only chance at recovery. Please, I am speaking for the sake of my patient, put aside this bad blood and give this a chance."

Steven's fury was palpable, but he slowly nodded his head in acquiescence. "Fine, but I reserve the right to end the treatment if I think things are not being...handled properly."

"Agreed."

"So you two are in accordance then?" the doctor asked, looking between them. "Miss Maple has no next of kin to speak for her so I'll be looking to you both to make decisions on her behalf."

"Yes, proceed with the removal of the implants and we'll go from there."

Maxie nodded his agreement. "Then are we finished here? I have preparations to make."

"What preparations exactly?" Steven asked him, narrowing his steel coloured eyes. Maxie met the Champion's stare without falter.

"Oh I'm sorry Mr. Stone, did it slip your mind that my entire life's work has been obliterated and nearly all of my personnel have been killed in the line of duty – needless to say I have a few phone calls to make!"

He turned sharply on his heel and left the room, not bothering to see Steven's reaction. Tabitha followed, quickly taking up his usual spot at his right hand side. "Sir, your orders?"

"Do you have the files of everyone killed on hand?"

"...Yes."

"Then help me call the next of kin," Maxie said softly as they entered the elevator. He looked at the younger man. "If you're up to it."

"Of course Sir."

* * *

><p>Maxie threw his glasses down on the desk and rubbed at his eyes.<p>

The facility managers had been kind enough to grant him quarters, both to stay in while May was undergoing treatment and to get his affairs in order for the coming months. He was thankful for it - he was exhausted, physically and emotionally, and he wanted nothing more than to collapse into a bed and forget the world existed for a few hours. Tabitha wasn't faring much better and it looked like the poor lad had aged a decade in the past few hours. Crying mothers, distraught fathers, broken-hearted spouses – they'd heard them all.

"Fuck," Tabitha groaned into his hands. "That was the worst thing I have ever had to do."

Maxie nodded and slumped in his chair. "It never gets any easier..."

"I should hope not. Did we get them all?"

"I believe so, yes."

"So what now?"

"You said all of the remaining outposts were shut down and evacuated yes?"

"Yes Sir."

"Then I think we're done for the evening, you're dismissed."

Tabitha gave his employer a wry grin and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Not bloody likely Sir, there's still a lot to do. Into fire, into hell, keep shoulder to shoulder."

Maxie felt himself smile at the old motto and was suddenly very grateful that Tabitha had been spared. Behind the younger man's dark eyes and easy smiles there was a hardened soldier - a former black ops sniper to be precise. He was one of the few that Maxie _knew_ understood. "Well, there is one more thing."

"I've already got a truck on the way."

"Good man."

"I try," Tabitha smirked. He leaned back in his chair and interlaced his fingers over his chest. "Boss, if you don't mind me asking – what happened between you and the Maple girl? A few weeks ago you wouldn't have given a flying fuck whether she recovered or not."

"I know," he answered softly. "I – we were the only ones who survived the attack. It's funny, but if she hadn't been there I probably would have been dead too. They incarcerated us at their base and then they took her..."

"I still couldn't believe it when I saw her," Tabitha said, shaking his head. "She did a number on Steven's Skarmory, damn bird still can't walk straight. It's just fucking wrong – to change her into...well whatever she is now...that's one of the cruelest things I've ever seen. Still, why are you so intent on helping her?"

"I don't know to be honest. She – after all that's happened, after everything I've done, after the vicious way I've treated her she still looked at me like I was a human being...like I was a decent man," He paused and huffed a sad laugh, remembering that night in his room when they'd shared a glass of Dalmore scotch and she'd bantered with him fearlessly. "She knew what they were going to do to her, and she _still_ had the nerve to ask me if I was alright. I just – she trusted me Tabitha. I don't know why, I don't understand how she could, but she did and...well, I let her down. I let that lunatic take her, torture her, turn her into that monster. I let her down."

"She's a kind heart," Tabitha said after a pregnant silence.

"Have you forgotten how badly she managed to thrash our sorry hides and save Hoenn from our idiocy?"

"Okay, she's a bit of a badass with a kind heart," the younger man amended with a smirk. Maxie had to smile at that. "She means a lot to you doesn't she."

"More than I care to admit."

"Well then I'd say she's going to be in good hands," Tabitha said. "And you didn't let her down Sir. You're here right now, you're doing everything you can possibly do to help her. You'd only be letting her down if you left, and you haven't."

"...I suppose so."

Tabitha smiled and rose, stretching himself out before clapping the older man on the back one last time. "Get some sleep Boss, they've got May scheduled for her first surgery tomorrow."

With that he left and Maxie glanced out the window into the darkness of the night beyond. He sighed heavily and forced himself to rise. His thoughts turned to May as he carefully eased himself into bed. He tried his damnedest not to picture her on the cold metal table of an operating room, but when he shut his eyes his dreams twisted into nightmares of sightless blue eyes and hands dripping with blood.

* * *

><p>"Mr. Asher, might I have a word?"<p>

Maxie turned away from the massive window overlooking the facility's lobby and felt a sickening jolt of panic when he saw Dr. Villiard heading towards him. His fear must have show because the doctor immediately raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to inform you that we've just finished the last operation. Miss Maple is in recovery now and she'll be awake in a few hours."

"I see, and I trust everything went – well?"

"As well as could be expected," Villiard replied with a tired smile. The man looked exhausted and Maxie was felt a surge of gratitude towards him – he'd worked tirelessly on May's case since day one. "I followed the incisions that Farren had made to avoid adding any more trauma to her cranial structure. She should heal up nicely."

"And the implants?"

"I managed to removed all the ones I'd planned to. Now we have to work in a bit of faith."

"So what is the next course of action?"

"The next big step is bringing her out of sedation – this will be the first time she'll have regained consciousness since we rescued her. I want to put her under careful observation for a day or two afterwards, give her a bit of time to recover from all the surgery," he replied. "Then, once I think she's stable enough we'll try exposing her to you and monitoring the response."

"How do you plan on doing that?"

"It's very simple actually. I'm going to use an EEG, very safe and completely noninvasive I assure you, to observe the pattern of her neural oscillations when she sees you for the first time as well as monitoring her physiological response. If the readings look good she can -"

The pager on Villiard's hip suddenly came to life, the shrill electronic warble cutting him off mid-sentence. The doctor immediately retrieved it and frowned. "Come with me. Now."

"What's going on?" he asked as they rushed through the halls.

"It's Miss Maple – she's waking up far earlier than expected!"

"Is that bad?"

"I'm not sure," Villiard said. They entered the ICU and the doctor stopped in front of one of the rooms. Maxie could hear the muffled beeping of some sort of alarm from inside and the voice of who he presumed was a nurse or another doctor. "Here we are, you can observe through this window, but do not come inside."

With that he entered the room, opening the blinds of the window ever so slightly so that Maxie could see inside. Villiard and another man were conversing in hushed tones next to May's bedside. Maxie focused his gaze on her and inhaled sharply. Out of the menacing black armour she seemed so small and frail laying in the hospital bed. He could see where they'd had to cut away parts of her hair to expose the incision sites, now delicately restitched and bandaged. He saw one of her fingers twitch and then her entire hand a short time later. Villiard stepped back from the bed a pace and made the other man follow suit. Maxie couldn't blame them – if she woke with the intention of attacking them there would be little to save the two men from her inhuman strength. He saw her chest rise beneath the thin blankets of her bed as her breathing rhythm became deeper...

And then her eyes opened.

They closed again almost immediately, but for one brief second Maxie could see the twin pools of azure and he felt his heartbeat quicken. She opened her eyes again a few seconds later, blinking against the light until they adjusted to the brightness. For a moment it was like the world stopped as the three men watched her with bated breath, looking for any sign of aggression, any hint of the cold killer instinct she'd displayed days before – but it never came.

She laid there unmoving for several minutes, eyes fixed on the ceiling. Maxie was certain she'd slipped under again, but slowly she started to sit up, looking around the room with wide, unblinking eyes. Through the blinds he struggled to find any trace of emotion in her face, any sign that she'd come back.

The eyes that had given him such hope moments before were glazed and her stonefaced expression did not waver, not even when Villiard and his colleague cautiously started to measure her vital signs. Maxie closed his eyes and turned away, letting out the breath he'd been holding. For one brief second he had been so hopeful that she'd managed to find her way back, but it was painfully obvious that the girl he knew was still locked away, deep within the recesses of her own mind. His hands curled into fists and he tried to swallow the lump in his throat. _We'll get you back May, I promise._

The door next to him opened and he immediately drew himself back up to full height. "Well?"

"She appears to be fine, physically anyway – her responses are all within the expected range."

"Has she said anything?"

"No, she likely won't for quite a while. I was going to tell you before the interruption – there was a neural implant in the Broca's area of her frontal lobe that had an inhibitory function."

"Meaning?"

"It rendered her mute, unable to talk. The effect isn't permanent, but it'll be a little while before she fully regains her powers of speech. Now, she can comprehend what people are saying just fine, that area of the brain was unaltered – she just can't respond."

_She couldn't have called for help if she'd wanted to...he tortured her and she couldn't even scream_

Maxie reined in the burning anger blossoming in his chest and drew a deep breath. "Since she is awake sooner than expected what does this mean for your intention to monitor her response to my presence?"

"I still want to monitor her condition for the next day or so and get her started on the drug therapy. This is when we're liable to see complications from the imbalance in her body chemistry," Villiard replied, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly. "I know it may seemed rush, but the sooner she begins her therapy with you the better. If all goes well will you be prepared to take her relatively soon afterwards?"

"Yes."

"Good. Her things have already been brought here and packed for you – where is it you intend to bring her?"

"My family estate, about an hour's drive north of Lilycove."

"Good, I'm comforted by the fact you're so close to the city. If you must take her to hospital, ask for Dr. Strickland or his wife Dr. Strowbridge – they're the heads of psychiatry and neurology at Lilycove General respectively. They're old colleagues of mine and the best in their fields."

"Thank you, I shall keep that in mind."

Villiard smiled, though it was tight and somewhat sad. "You're sure you're up to this Mr. Asher? You've suffered a great deal of trauma yourself and this is a daunting endeavour. There is no shame in saying you don't feel up to it."

For a moment Maxie considered the doctor's words. The man was offering him an out, an opportunity to wash his hands clean of May Maple's fate. It was like standing at a crossroads – there was a path that would lead him away from her, he could forget about the confounding feelings she brought up in him, he could leave her to her fate and bury those feelings deep until he forgot they had ever existed. The other road...

He thought about how those azure eyes had flashed so brightly during their battle, how she'd smiled at him when he'd poured her a drink, how gently she'd held them at their last goodbye. How could he abandoned one of the few people outside of his organization to treat him like a real person. How could he abandon this foolishly brave girl with the soul of burnished steel and the fierce, but gentle heart it guarded. "I made that girl a promise...one I intend to keep. I owe her a great debt."

Villiard's tight smile softened and he relaxed visibly. "I was hoping you'd say that. If this plan works she's going to have a rough road ahead. Right now, without that fiend's input she is completely helpless – like a computer with a broken program. She doesn't really know how to function as a person anymore, she'll go through the daily motions, eating, sleeping etcetera, but aside from that she will simply be existing. She's incredibly vulnerable and must be treated very gently."

"I understand that."

"I know you do," the doctor said, moving into a walk and gestured for Maxie to follow. "I just want you to be aware of how important your role is going to be in her recovery and what that responsibility is going to entail. I need to observe her to confirm my suspicions, but she'll likely very fatigued and ill over the next couple of weeks, she'll need help regaining her powers of speech, relearning social graces, and she'll have to be guided into tapping into her emotions. I know this sounds daunting, but what it all boils down to is you simply treating her as a person – you just need to be, perhaps gentler than you normally would."

They came to the ledge overlooking the lobby again where the doctor had first run into him. Villiard turned to face him, leaning his back against the railing with his hands shoved into the pockets of his lab coat. "I have the utmost faith in you, you know."

Maxie leaned against the railing beside him and shot the doctor a crooked smile. "I'm glad somebody does."

"If you're referring to Mr. Stone's demeanour he's merely concerned. He's very fond of Miss Maple, the two go back a long way. They don't always get along mind you, like the worst pair of siblings you've ever seen, but he'd take a bullet for her in a heartbeat and I know Miss Maple would do the same."

"I'm surprised you allowed me to take her, over him."

The doctor's cobalt eyes twinkled. "You wear your heart on your sleeve more than you think Mr. Asher. You care a great deal about Miss Maple – more than just owing her a debt, that's obvious to see and I suspect the feeling is mutual which is _why_ you're the superior candidate. Make her feel safe, make her feel loved and I think we can bring Miss Maple back."

His pager beeped and he quietly dismissed himself, though he was still smiling when he left Maxie leaning against the railing. He gazed out over the lobby and the people milling about below, out past the massive windows to the snow squall storming over the island. His heart beat uncomfortably fast when he thought about the doctor's parting words. Either the man was far more perceptive than he'd given him credit for, or he had truly lost the ability to hide his thoughts. He owed her a great deal, that was true – if he'd protected her better, if he'd planned their transport more carefully...

_It's more than that you half-wit, even the doctor knows that._

No, he was obligated to -

_We've had this argument already, liar_ the little voice in the back of his mind hissed viciously, _you care and you cannot stop caring._

Maxie removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to fend off the fast building headache. "Christ I'm an idiot," he groaned. He felt like a wet behind the ears cadet again getting screamed at by the drill sergeant, like he was the green boy of seventeen who couldn't meet the eye of the pretty girl across the room.

_Fuck_, if she ever recovered he was going to thoroughly lecture her on how unfair it was to make him realize that he still had a heart and then promptly carve out a place for herself in it.

* * *

><p>Maxie paced the room, hands clasped behind his back and head down. He'd never been fond of hospitals; the sterile smell, the bleak whiteness – it made his skin crawl.<p>

The room he was in looked to be the standard examination room, save for one thing – the EEG machine humming softly in the corner. The door behind him suddenly opened and he felt his heart leap into his throat. Dr. Villiard carefully eased the wheelchair over the threshold, taking great care not to jostle its blindfolded occupant and settled her next to the machine. May remained still and silent, hands folded neatly in her lap. She moved her head ever so slightly in Maxie's direction and tilted her head up. She inhaled sharply and he realized that she was scenting the air.

"Is she -"

"She's fine, she's just trying to get her bearings and locate everyone in the room – it's a reflexive instinct," Villiard said and carefully began settling the interwoven lattice of electrodes onto May's head. "She is fully conscious, but I want to be able to compare her baseline neural oscillations and compare the readings I acquire when she sees you for the first time."

Once he seemed satisfied with the placement of the nodes he moved behind the computer monitor. After a few more minutes of clicking and calibrating he looked at Maxie and nodded. "Alright, we're set to go. I want you to remove the blindfold and just wait until I tell you to move on to the next step."

Maxie turned to face May, who'd apparently honed in on his position and was gazing directly at him despite her blindfold. For a moment it was like all of the air had left the room and he realize as he knelt down and reached towards her that his hands were shaking. He reached behind her head and gently undid the knot of length of cloth binding her eyes. Her hands twitched slightly at the contact, but she remained otherwise perfectly still as the fabric slid away.

Her pupils contracted from the sudden exposure to light and he was greeted by the breath-taking shade of blue that had haunted his dreams. They focused on him with hawk-like precision, drinking in every detail of the man kneeling before her, but her expression remained impassive and he knew that she was simply analyzing him, cold and calculating like a machine. He felt his eyes burn - it was hard, so hard not to reach out to her. He wanted nothing more than to pull her close and whisper to her that everything was going to be alright.

"Okay, phase two – I want you to talk to her. Say anything you like, I just need her to hear your voice."

Maxie swallowed thickly. "Miss Maple...May, do you know who I am?"

She blinked.

"We've known each other for quite some time. We met ten years ago, in Slateport – do you remember that?"

Was that a slight furrowing of her brow or a trick of the light?

"We were working together to stop Cipher when they caught us. I made you a promise that I wouldn't leave you behind," he continued. "And I didn't. May, you must remember. I know you're in there somewhere."

"...Mr. Asher, please move to the final phase and touch her hand. Please do it slowly, sudden movements will startle her."

Carefully, making sure that she could see his slow and deliberate movements, he laid his hands over hers, still folded so tidily in her lap. Her skin was cool to the touch and he rubbed his thumb across her knuckles, hoping to trigger some sort of reaction, but her hands remained still and unmoving.

"That will do Mr. Asher, I think we -"

The doctor's voice suddenly became muffled, overcome by the sudden ringing in Maxie's ears until it was drowned out by the high-pitched whine altogether. He was suddenly very aware of his heartbeat, thumping loud and steady in his chest as his vision blurred and was overtaken by murky shadows. Unfamiliar images flashed in his mind's eye, visions that did not belong to him. A torchic chirping cheerfully as it hopped unsteadily along a forest path, chasing a man in a red and black uniform through a damp cave, the smell of sulfur and ash and the towering hulk of Groudon standing in a sea of molten rock, a silver-haired man grinning, twin caskets draped in black cloth and white lilies, a man with blue hair and eyes like midwinter baring his teeth like a beast..._memories_...

As soon as they had come the flood of pictures ceased and the room came back into focus. The ringing dissipated and he could hear the doctor's voice again, tight with worry. "Sir, Mr. Asher can you hear me?"

"Ah, yes," Maxie replied slowly as he reluctantly let go of May's hands. His tongue felt like lead and it was suddenly hard to speak. He rose, dusting off his trousers as he turned to Villiard. "I – I'm not sure what just happened."

"...I think I might have an idea. Come here, I want to show you the readings," he babbled and quickly beckoned Maxie to his side. Maxie watched as the doctor brought up several screen shots of their session graphs. The cyclic rise and fall and jagged peaks of the oscillations meant little to him so he chose to watch May over the top of the monitor as Villiard spoke. She held his gaze, hardly blinking as she tilted her head ever so slightly to the side.

"These are her baselines here – now compare them to when she first saw you. Not much change, bit of spiking in her Beta wave activity, but nothing drastic. Same sort of pattern here when you spoke, another spike in Beta activity, but there was a small change in Gamma waves that time. The change isn't statistically significant, but in this case it could mean something. Now, this is where it gets interesting," Villiard said and enlarged the third window that held the graph of the third phase when he'd touched her hands. "Beta activity somewhat and Alpha activity rises. We often associate this with relaxed mental states. Then this – the order of Delta waves rises dramatically."

"Why is that important?"

"This level of Delta wave activity is usually associated with SWS, a stage of deep sleep in the regular sleep cycle, however her Alpha and Beta waves don't suit the profile. It indicates some level of consciousness despite the Delta wave activity. What exactly happened at this point in time?"

"I'm not sure...the room faded out and I could see things, flashes of images I was not familiar with. It was all very incoherent, but I think they were from May's perspective."

"Yes, I think those may have been some of Miss Maple's memories – you see I've seen this EEG profile before in Psychic-type pokémon and the trainers who use them. It's generally indicative of some level of communication or information transferal."

"How is this possible?"

"We have to keep in mind that Miss Maple has shown an aptitude for communicating on a nonverbal level before when she encountered Groudon all those years ago. This ability is something of her own, not something Ardos forced on her."

"So what does all of this mean exactly?"

"It means that, even if it was a subconscious act, Miss Maple reached out to you and under her own power to boot," Villiard replied with a weary smile. "These findings are extremely positive. You have the green light Mr. Asher. May can go home."

Maxie looked at May, her hands still folded demurely in her lap and azure eyes focused on him. For a moment, just a moment he swore she looked almost pleased.

* * *

><p>Island Wolf: Okay, phew that was a difficult one to write - I haven't used that much bio lingo in a long time. Now my area of expertise is actually in the field of Ecology and Conservation Biology. Cellular, Microbiology and Neurology are the fields I have the least amount of training in and, I'm being completely honest when I say I totally talked out of my ass for the EEG session haha. I can talk all day about the inter-connectivity of ecosystems and subsequent subsidiaries transferred across food webs and the resulting trophic cascades, but ask me about the functions of the brain? Nooope. That said if there's any neurologycellular biology specialists out there feel free to correct any mistakes I may have made here.


	7. Where the roots run deep

Island Wolf: Guys, once again thank you so much for the support you all have given this story. It's really just something I do for fun, but to see people enjoying it is really a big bonus :) I know this is sometimes thought of as a savagely inappropriate pairing and I agree, to an extent it can be - I certainly would **never** consider implying anything romantic between them while May is her original in-game age, that's quite wrong. That said I think once she's grown up and come into herself as a full person (mature and psychologically competent) and the two ever had the opportunity to cross paths again I think there really could be a little spark there.

Now, all that jazz aside, I was a little naughty and worked on this when I was supposed to be studying for exams, damn those plot bunnies. This chapter is a little on the short side, and for that I apologize, but I felt it was a good point to cut off - one of the things I really disliked upon rereading Ashes was that May's recovery seemed far to forced and speedy. I want things to go a little slower this go around. I will also apologize if this chapter comes off as a bit on the fluffy side, but it really couldn't be helped. Some of you may find certain aspects of Maxie - interesting in this chapter to say the least, and that's because I was a little self-indulgent, but more on that later. Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own neither Pokemon nor its associated characters

* * *

><p>"Ready to go?"<p>

Maxie turned sharply at the voice behind him, but relaxed visibly when he saw Dr. Villiard standing at the threshold of his room. He had a metal briefcase in hand as well as a small tote bag emblazoned with a red cross. "I just came by to drop off Miss Maple's medications – the nurse gave you the rundown on dosage and daily prescriptions as well as how to change her dressings, yes?"

"Yes, I have paper copies of the instructions as well," Maxie nodded, feeling his stomach churn slightly remembering the seemingly endless list of drugs and procedures he was going to have to force on the poor girl. His discomfort must have shown because Villiard handed him the case and bag with a comforting smile.

"You're going to do fine, you'll be quick to settle in a routine trust me. Now, I've also included some sedatives should there be an emergency. The chances are fairly slim, but there's still the possibility of her reacting violently in an unfamiliar situation – this will help if you need it. There's some standard over the counter medications as well since she's liable to be fairly ill for the first few weeks," he said, habitually shoving his hands into the pockets of his lab coat. "Tip, when you're changing her dressings and cleaning the incision sites, don't be hesitant. Miss Maple is not made of glass and confident contact will make her feel more at ease around you."

"Thank you," Maxie said, the term conveying gratitude that stretched far beyond the physician's medical advice. Villiard's startlingly blue eyes crinkled in another smile.

"Just take good care of her. Don't hesitate to call if you need anything," he said. The pager at his hip beeped shrilly and he silenced it with the push of a button. "Sorry, I have to fly – good luck Mr. Asher and god speed."

He left and Maxie was quick to follow, heading down to the lobby and out into the winter evening. The sun was just startling to slip behind the horizon, leaving splashes of gold and blush pink across the wispy lines of cirrus clouds in the western sky. The parking lot was mostly deserted save for a couple of vehicles in the reserved spots for the hospital staff and the scattered few that belonged to patients and their visitors. Maxie, taking great care not to jostle the briefcase of medications, made a beeline for a black Dodge Ram truck parked next to the entrance landing. Tabitha was up in the pan, tying down the last of the supplies. He gave his superior a lazy two-fingered salute before vaulting over the side. "Hey boss, that's the last of it – and here comes your charge now."

Maxie turned and saw a nurse easing a wheelchair holding May out past the sliding doors. She was bundled up in an oversized coat whose collar didn't quite hide the layers of gauze wrapped around her neck. Her eyes were wide, darting to and fro as she tried to take in her new surroundings. She was almost childlike in the way she studied the world, so curious and so small. Tabitha wisely relieved him of the briefcase and medical bag, leaving him free to take over control of May's wheelchair from the nurse who looked only too happy to return to rush back inside to escape the cold. Maxie wheeled her around to the passenger side and opened the door. Carefully, he stooped down and eased on arm beneath her knees while he used to the other to support her back as he lifted her up out of the chair. He tried not to think about how perfectly she settled into his arms as he gently slid her into the passenger seat. He took one of her hands and gave it a gentle squeeze. She observed the gesture with wide, uncomprehending eyes and blinked. "I'll be back in a moment alright? Just wait here for me."

He let her go and carefully shut the door. Tabitha was already waiting for him when he turned around, hand extended. Maxie smiled and grasped the other man's hand, shaking it firmly. The two former soldiers clapped each other on the shoulder. "Good luck boss, keep in touch alright?"

"Will do. You sure you're alright with staying here?"

"Yeah, at least I feel like I'm useful here and it ain't all that bad working on the straight and narrow for a change," Tabitha replied with a wry grin. "Anyway, you need to get going – you've got a long drive ahead. Now I've got eyes on the area, but don't hesitate call if you need anything."

Maxie nodded his thanks one last time before rounding the front of the truck and climbing up into the driver's seat, May watching him intently all the while. "Are you comfortable?"

May blinked and tilted her head to the side. Her gaze lowered ever so slightly, darting back and forth almost like she were reading before she finally looked back up at him and nodded once. Maxie felt himself smile as he reached over to draw the seat belt across her torso and buckled it in place. He flicked on the headlights and put the truck in drive, slowly pulling out of the parking lot and onto the main road that joined up with the massive causeway that would take them back to the Mossdeep and then on to the mainland. They chased the setting sun for another hour or so until it finally slipped past the western horizon, leaving them in darkness broken only by the occasionally flurry of snow.

It was another hour before they reached the island town of Mossdeep and another three after that driving along the remote northern causeway that spanned the massive stretch of water, connecting the small islands and outcroppings of basalt to Hoenn's eastern coastline. The lights of Lilycove shone like a beacon in the night and Maxie felt a weight lift off of his shoulders. Open ocean would forever make him uneasy – if he never saw saltwater again it would be too soon. He glanced over at his travelling companion and realized that she'd fallen asleep. Flicking on his signal light he pulled over to the side of the road and eased off his coat. He folded it up and gently eased it under May's head so that she could use it as a pillow. Giving in to impulse he brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. She sighed softly and nestled down further in her seat, clearly more comfortable with the sudden cushion beneath her head. "We're almost there May, just a little longer."

He pulled back onto the road and suddenly realized that he had taken to calling her by her given name.

Maxie huffed a laugh at that. There'd been a time when he could barely refer to her as 'girl' through gritted teeth – in fact it'd been a struggle at times to use her proper title when he'd been forced to face her again after ten long years of stewing in bitter defeat. Now he couldn't think of calling her anything, but that sweet and simple name. It was absurd how protective he felt over the young woman curled up in the passenger seat. A month was all it had taken...Christ, had it really been such a short time?

The lights of Lilycove faded into the dark behind them and Maxie decided that May Maple was truly an amazing person whose capacity for genuine sincerity, love and compassion seemed limitless – even towards a bitter old soldier like him. That person was still in there, he knew that and nothing would stop him from bringing her back.

Soon he turned off of the main highway to a remote road that curved northwards up into the forest-covered mountains. Just under an hour later the road narrowed to a long gravel driveway that came to an end in front of the home he'd left behind so long ago when he'd been given a uniform and rifle, and marched away to war. Richard Asher had been an industry mogul from Johto who'd monopolized the logging rights in the vast majority of the Hoenn region and relocated there. Despite his name and fortune the man had, to his credit been a simple sort, if a little reclusive, and built a modest two-storey home in Hoenn's northern wilderness. It was well-built, the interior was elegantly designed and comfortably furnished, but the outside had a rustic, almost cabin-like exterior that Richard Asher had maintained reminded him of 'humbler days and humbler roots'. Maxie smiled. He'd grown up in the shadow of these woods and felt a strange sense of calm emanating from the darkened trees.

He put the truck in park and, deciding to let May sleep a little longer, stepped out into the night. A sickle moon cast everything in a pale glow, the snow reflecting its pearly light like crushed diamond. Maxie was grateful that he'd sent Tabitha up here earlier in the week while he monitored May's surgeries and made the place habitable – it'd been well over a decade since anyone had set foot inside. He opened the door and breathed in the smell of pine, dust and home. He recalled reading somewhere that one's sense of smell was tied strongly to memory, and he was inclined to agree when he flicked on the porch light. Visions of the past came rushing back with startling clarity, memories of happier days long gone...

He went back to the truck and carefully cracked opened the passenger side door. The motion immediately wakened May and she sat up in her seat so sharply that Maxie feared she'd given herself whiplash. Her head snapped from left to right and he heard her inhale sharply as she tried to get her bearings in suddenly unfamiliar surroundings. He opened the door fully and grasped her hands in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. "May, it's alright I'm right here," he said and her eyes focused on him with that fierce focus. "It's me, it's Maxie. You're going to be staying with me for a while, remember?"

She seemed almost hesitant, but she nodded once and relaxed enough for him to undo her seat belt. "Can you walk?"

"I...try."

Her voice was low and rough with a strange cadence, but it was hers and that gladdened him. He helped her step down from the cab and kept an arm curled firmly around her waist as she stood slow, unsteady steps towards the house. Villiard had explained that the removal of the implants on her cerebellum would reduce her motor coordination to a more normal level and she would have to learn how to move without their aid again. Admittedly seeing her wobble and try valiantly to keep her balance was a far more welcome sight than the sharp, precise movements she'd used to cross Ardos' arena and the mechanical way she'd handed out death and pain.

He managed to lead her to the living room and helped ease her down on the sofa. Once she was settled he moved to kneel in front of the fireplace, using the kindling and book of matches Tabitha had left behind to start a small fire. Once it had sparked into a healthier blaze he added a log of spruce and birch apiece to keep it burning. He turned to look at her and saw the flames reflected in her eyes. "I need to bring in the supplies and do a quick check around the house, can you stay there for me?"

She nodded once and Maxie rose, brushing dust and old soot from his trousers. "I won't be long, I promise."

He stepped back out into the cold and started unloading the back of the truck, depositing the crates and and duffel bags into the porch – sorting it out would be a task for tomorrow. That done he snatched a lantern hanging from a peg by the door and lit it. The soft golden light lit his way as he skirted around to the left side of the house where the wood was kept stored beneath a heavy tarp. Pulling back the protective covering he was mildly perturbed at the meagre supply stacked there – almost all soft wood to boot. He covered what little wood there was again and continued on to the back of the house where a smaller outbuilding stood. He unlatched the door and stepped inside.

Immediately a wave of warmth washed over him and a soft nicker greeted his sudden presence. Maxie smiled and hung the lantern on a nearby hook. He hardly needed it as he walked up to the single occupied stall – Rapidashes always had a peculiar ambient glow about them. He walked up to her and brushed away the coarse red hair of her forelock, capable of producing extreme heat at the drop of a hat. "Hello there my beauty. I'm glad Tabitha managed to get you settled up here at least."

The beautiful Rapidash had been a gift from his cousin in Johto. He was quite a skilled breeder who'd specialized in the horse-like pokémon for both battling, riding and work purposes. This particular specimen had all the qualities of a heavy draft horse, far bigger than those found in the wild with a broad chest, upright shoulders and a tall, heavily muscled frame built for hefty pulling and hard work. Despite her size, however, the massive pokémon was extremely docile – a quality Johnathan's work horses were well known for. He would have need of her in the coming days if they wanted to remain at least semi-isolated and self-sufficient. The house had been equipped with electric lighting and a generator to provide electric heat when needed, though it had been a much later addition. The original house had been designed to be heated from the fireplaces and wood stove in the basement and he preferred to save the petrol for emergencies.

"I'll be back tomorrow, we've got a long day," he said, snatching up his lantern again. The Rapidash wickered and bobbed her head. When he finally stepped back into the house and snuffed out his lantern he realized that May had taken off her coat and had curled up on the couch, falling fast asleep by the light of the fire. He leaned against the door frame and watched her. She looked so serene he was reluctant to wake her. Still, she'd be far more comfortable upstairs in a proper bed. He picked up the duffel bag filled with her belongings and moved over to the couch. "May, I need you to wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open almost immediately and she sat up. "What...going on?"

"Everything's fine, don't worry. I just want to get you settled upstairs, you'll be far more comfortable sleeping in a bed."

"Sleep – sleep _is_...inconvenient," she said, struggling valiantly to construct a proper sentence. The speech was broken and a little slurred, but at least she managed to use the indicative verb this time. "I never – need it – before."

"Sleep is how humans recuperate and regain strength," he said as he helped her off of the couch, leading her towards the stairs. "How did you...how did you rest before?"

"My brain," she said, tapping the side of her head for emphasis. "Doctor would – shut down. Leave me with – basic processing."

"No wonder you've been sleeping so much. That's completely unnatural," he chided softly. Eventually they came to the top of the stairs and he led her to the first bedroom on the left. It was small, but very cozy. A double bed layered with thick quilts was in along the rear wall, the foot of it directly across from the small wood stove that was wedged in the corner. A window was just to the left of the bed and he knew that when the sun came up she would be able to see it rising over the vast expanse of snow covered trees. He led her to the edge of the bed and she immediately sat down on its edge. Maxie noted that her face was flushed and pressed his hand against her forehead.

"What – you doing?"

"Checking to see if you have a fever, which you do," he replied with a frown. He turned away for a moment to grab her bag. "Hopefully you can sleep it off. I've brought up your things so I would suggest changing into something more comfortable and then – May!"

He'd turned around and was greeted by the pale expanse of her upper torso as she started to remove her shirt – and of course she would be sans brassiere today. Immediately he grabbed her arms to stop her from moving further and then pulled her shirt back down. She looked at him with something akin to confusion.

"What I - do wrong?"

"It – it's improper for a young lady to undress in the presence of someone else," he stammered, feeling his face burn.

"But Master – he make me."

Whatever embarrassment Maxie had felt immediately twisted into a black rage that burned hotly in his chest and he felt his lips skin back over his teeth in a snarl. How dare he, _how dare he –_ he was no saint, he would be the first to admit, but never had he stooped _that_ low.

"I am – sorry?"

May's mumbled apology broke through the red haze clouding his mind and he abruptly felt all of the anger dissipate as he looked down at her. She was looking up at him with those azure eyes, so wide and confused. She had the power to snap a man's neck with ease resting in those thin limbs, but Christ she truly was helpless. He sighed and moved his hands to rest on her shoulders. "You have nothing to be sorry about," he said softly. "You did nothing wrong. What Ardos did to you – _that_ was wrong. He had no right to make you do that and he will pay for what he has done."

"But he is – the Master -"

"He is not your master!" Maxie said firmly. "No one is. You belong to no one but yourself. Never forget that."

"I – I try."

"Good," he said, finally letting her go. "Try to get some sleep. The restroom is across the hall from here and my room is down at the end to the right. If I'm not there I'll likely be downstairs. Do not hesitate to come find me should you need anything."

She nodded and he bade her a quick goodnight before beating a hasty retreat. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it, letting out a long breath. He put a hand over his chest in a vain attempt to calm his racing heart. _You might be getting up there, but you're certainly not dead old boy..._No power on earth would be able to erase the image of May's bare breasts that was now seared firmly into his brain. Oh yes, she had certainly grown up.

He growled and mentally berated himself. How inappropriate, good lord.

* * *

><p>Whatever awkwardness he feared would hang over their next encounter was quick to dissipate the next morning. He'd awoken first and was already down in the kitchen brewing a cup of Early Grey tea when he'd heard the stairs creak, signalling that she had risen. Maxie swallowed thickly and focused on the depths of his tea. When he finally heard her feet on the tiled floor of the kitchen he looked up and was immediately forced to smile. She stood there in an oversized T-shirt and flannel pyjama pants, hair in a dishevelled mess and one of the quilts wrapped around her shoulders like a cloak. She blinked owlishly and yawned. "Good – morning?"<p>

"Good morning to you too," he said, hiding his smile behind his mug. Gods be damned if he had to try to handle this for months on end. She was far too endearing for her own good. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"I suppose?" she asked hesitantly. Maxie raised an eyebrow at her and she shrugged. "The Doctor said I did not need – food. He give me injections and – pills."

"That's not standard procedure for humans," he said, parroting last night's conversation about sleep. "Here, we'll start off light. Tea and toast."

She slid herself up onto one of the stools next to the counter, eyeing the food suspiciously for a few moments before picking up a piece of toast and started nibbling at it. "I have to go out for a while, but I'll be back by noon. I've got the fire well stoked and there's books in the lounge for your perusal should you wish. Do you think you'll be alright here on your own?

"Yes."

"Alright, just leave the washing up for me."

With that he went upstairs to change, swapping out his usual button down shirt and slacks for dungaree trousers and a heavy cable-knit turtleneck. He pulled on his boots and tweed flat cap before stepping outside. The morning sun was weak, but was surprisingly warm for the first week of December – not enough to cause any real snow melt, but it was enough to allow him to leave his coat undone and forgo a scarf. He headed towards the stable where the Rapidash whinnied a greeting. "Morning Maria," he said and unlatched her stall door, leading her outside. She waited patiently as he started putting on her harness and collar, huffing in discomfort only once when he slid on her bridle and blinders, and put the bit in her mouth. He stood back when he finished, moderately impressed with the time he made – he hadn't put the pulling tack on a horse since he was a boy. He hooked up her traces to the whippletree that attached her to the front of a large, flat sledge. That done he took her by the reins and guided her into a slow walk along a path that wound up through the trees.

Eventually they came to a small clearing and Maxie pulled Maria to a halt on the far side. He shrugged off his coat and unclipped a pokéball from his belt, casually lobbing it skywards. The red and white capsule opened with a flash of light the solidified into the burly shape of a Linoone. It was an old specimen, its muzzle heavily sprinkled with grey fur and stripes pale with age, but it greeted its trainer will a low crooning growl. "Hello old friend. Time to get to work."

The Linoone bobbed his head once and slowly shuffled across the clearing to the line of trees. He sniffed around the base of a tall poplar for a moment before his claws started to glow with building energy. The old badger-like creature reared up onto his hind legs and bellowed, slashing at the thick trunk before him. There was a loud crack and the tree swayed for a moment before falling into the clearing with a crash. Maria whinnied at the sound, pawing at the snow with a heavy iron shod hoof, but Maxie's firm hand on her harness kept her in place. "Good job Winston, I need birch now."

Winston grunted and waddled over to the next stand of trees. He felled two tall Birches as well as a Larch and a Black Spruce before he started cutting up the fallen trees into smaller logs that Maxie loaded onto the back of the sledge, lashing them down tightly. That done he sat down on the back edge of the sledge, lighting a cigarette as he did so. Winston settled down next to him and was quick to fall asleep now that his work was done for the day. Maxie smiled around his cigarette and scratched the coarse fur behind the badger's ears.

He leaned his head back and looked up at the sky, watching the clouds scudding along the wind. It was so quiet out here aside from the occasional breath of wind rattling the bones of the trees and the quiet huff of his pokémon. Maria shifted in place and the metal of her bridle and harness rang like a bell. He could remember clearing out this small field with his father so many years ago. They'd had a team of Rapidash back then, hauling lumber to the work site. His uncles had often come up with them, felling trees by hand and loading them up onto the sleds with him. He'd been too small to do much aside from tend the horses, but he remembered sitting with the men around a campfire and brewing spruce tea to ward off the biting cold in the winter months. This was what he'd fought so hard to protect, this is what he'd laid down his life for in the war and this is why he'd wanted to expand the land so badly. No more foolish conflicts, no more pointless skirmishes for land, squabbling like infants over resources. Somewhere along the way, however, he'd lost sight of that...the power struggle between him and Archie had become more important than preserving this simple freedom. That was until a 12-year old girl had shown both men how idiotic they'd been and had faced the wrath of titans without fear. Earth, Sea and Sky had bowed before her, this iron-willed slip of a girl whose unselfish heart wanted nothing more than peace. That girl had grown into a fine young woman with a temper like a Taurus and a rapier wit to match. He smiled, something he seemed to be doing a lot lately despite his situation. That temper had irked him to no end just a month ago, but now he would give quite a lot to have her toss a barbed comment his way.

Maxie finished his cigarette before returning Winston to his pokéball and heading up front to take up Maria's reins. He clicked his tongue softly and the draft horse nickered, immediately throwing her weight against the straps of the harness. The sledge lurched into motion under the application of the Rapidash's monumental strength and she started forward in a slow, but powerful walk.

The house drew back into sight just after high noon. Maxie unhooked Maria from her burden and removed her tack, leading her into the stable where he could brush her down and give her food and water. He rubbed her nose fondly before leaving her to rest and unloaded the wood from the sled, piling it beneath the tarp along the side of the house. That done he stepped inside of the house, beating the snow off of his boots and removing his cap. His face stung at the sudden warmth, but he felt better than he had in days.

He hung up his coat and peered into the living room. May was curled up against the arm of the sofa, book in hand. At some point she'd changed out of her sleepwear and into leggings and large pullover sweater though the quilt was still draped across her lap. "Hello, how are you feeling?"

"My temperature – it keeps..." she paused and he could see her visibly struggle for the word, "shifting."

"Hmm, we'll have to keep an eye on that. Come on, it's time to change your dressings and take your medication."

She set down the book and removed the quilt from her lap, waiting for him patiently as he retrieved the metal case and bag Dr. Villiard had given him. A handful of pills, including an Advil for the fever, and one injection later he was carefully unwinding the gauze around her neck. The ports where her body suit had connected to her nervous system had been removed and carefully stitched shut thanks to the tremendous skill of Villiard and his team, but it still looked painful. He cleaned and disinfected the stitched skin as gently as he could before applying a new layer of gauze and then moved to clean the incision sites on her scalp and wrist. May sat through the entire thing without whimper or complaint. She hardly even flinched and that bothered him a great deal. "There we are."

"Thank you."

"There's no need to thank me," he muttered, more to himself than anything else. She looked at him quizzically and he smiled tightly. "Ah, just ignore me. Are you hungry?"

"I am – satiated." she said, shaking her head. "May I – read now?"

"Yes, though for your next selection I would suggest something a little lighter than Macbeth."

* * *

><p>The rest of the day passed without incident. Indeed they started to settle into a comfortable routine. He would always wake up first in the morning, though she would follow not long after and he'd have a cup of Earl Grey tea and a slice of toast waiting for her. The rest of the day was usually spent in the living room where both of them would read, he in the armchair by the hearth and she in her usual spot on the couch. They would sit in companionable silence, though every once and a while he would try to coax her into talking. Her speech was progressing nicely, though she remained reserved and aside from the occasional flash of quizzical curiosity, she was emotionally detached. He occasionally broke routine by taking a stroll in the woods that behind the house – he hoped to bring May with him at some point, but her health remained precariously frail and she always seemed to be suffering from a cold or running a mild fever. On the bright side she was well on her way to being weaned off the support drugs and the surgery sites were nearly healed.<p>

The second week he received a phone call from Tabitha who let them know that David and Eldes had finally arrived and were working hard to heal what few pokémon they'd managed to retrieve from both his and May's teams. He decided to keep the latter piece information to himself for the time being, though he did tell her that her cousin had arrived and was doing his best to help in the fight against Cipher. Her eyes had flickered at the mention of David's name, but as quickly as it had come, whatever spark of emotion had been there was gone.

Nearly a month went by and Maxie was came to the sudden and painful realization that it was Christmas Eve.

He'd awoken earlier than usual that morning and checked his cellphone, startled when he noticed the tiny little 24 in the corner of the screen. He hadn't celebrated Christmas in years...not since the end of the war. Still, May seemed to be the type that would and perhaps it would help. He pulled on his boots and cap, and stepped out into the gloom of the early winter morning. He didn't have anything by way of decorations for the house – but he could always improvise. He cut down several Fir boughs and spent the morning out back fashioning a wreath from the branches, deftly weaving in sprigs of Holly, Cheri and Leppa berries. The work was oddly soothing and he now had a much better understanding of why his father had kept his family out here and worked the land with his own hands despite being one of the biggest business tycoons in the region. Maybe it was a running trait in the Asher males, but it was surprisingly easy to be contented with such a simple life – it beat late nights hunched over a desk doing paper work in a caffeine induced haze anyway.

Satisfied with his work he stepped back inside and was immediately greeted by a pair of keen azure eyes that, for a moment, seemed almost accusatory. "You weren't – here."

"I know, I'm sorry," he said as he removed his coat and hat, "I lost track of time."

He abruptly froze in place when he felt her take his hand in both of hers. "I...worried."

She looked up at him and for the first time in a month he saw a flicker of real emotion in the depths of those beautiful azure wells. He smiled and curled his free arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, that was unkind of me. But, ah – let's try to get back on track."

He moved into the living room, May following close behind, and carefully hung up the makeshift wreath above the mantle. She moved to stand next to him, eyes fixated on the decoration. He saw her nose twitch and assumed she was picking up on the sweet, piney scent of the Fir resin and berries. She brushed her fingers against the soft needles and Maxie was shocked when her lips twitched upwards into the ghost of a smile. "I – remember these. It's Christmas...yes?"

"Yes," he said, and was hard pressed not to chuckle at her fascination. "I'm sorry I couldn't make this place a little more festive. I'm not much one for celebrating."

"Did something happen...to you?"

"You might say that."

"Did it have anything to do – with them?"

Maxie was truly shocked at May's astuteness when he realized that she was pointing to an old photograph. It had originally been black and white, but the years had tinged it yellow. A group of young men in khaki uniforms, the style of which hadn't been seen in years, were gathered in front of the camera. The oldest was no more the eighteen and their youth showed in their bright smiles and laughing eyes. The back row was standing with their rifles at slack salute, those in the middle sat at ease on rickety looking chairs and those in front sat on the ground, some sprawled out in the middle of raucous laughter with several pokémon with them. Maxie felt his throat grow tight as he picked up the photograph. "Well I'll be damned...I didn't think this would have survived."

"That's you there – right? In the front with the Vulpix."

"Yes. This was just before our second tour of duty," _Right before we all got blown to hell and the rest of the regiment with us... _"Not very many of us made it home."

He remembered all of the personnel he'd lost to Ardos and had to close his eyes. Another pointless war and another mountain of corpses. A gentle hand touched his arm.

"You are...sad?"

"Hm? I – no, no it's fine," he said, clearing his throat and quickly placing the photograph back on the mantle. "I've just – had to see a lot of people go before their time."

For a moment it looked like she wanted to say something, but she either couldn't form the words or thought better of it. Either way she settled for awkwardly slipping her arms around his waist. Maxie inhaled sharply and was honestly at a loss as to what to do. Eventually he settled for returning the clumsy, though well-meant attempt at a hug. "Now what brought this on?"

"I read and – I remember, people like to be held when they are – sad?"

"Yes, that is correct."

She looked up at him with questioning eyes. "Do you feel – better?"

He nearly laughed. It was so ironic it was painful. Here they were again, just as they had been when they were imprisoned; she was the one who had been so brutally hurt and victimized and yet she wanted to know if he was alright. Maxie felt a small surge of hope. If ever there was a sign she was still in there, that she was coming back – this was it. "Yes, thank you. Come on, I owe you breakfast I do believe."

"Earl Grey?"

"Of course."

* * *

><p>Island Wolf: Tadaaa. Now, I just want to say sorry for one for thing, the scene where May removes her shirt, I know this story is rated M, but it was so difficult to write without sounding crass - I want this to be a classy M (we will get there...eventually), not tawdry :P I know Maxie might come across as a bit of a temporal throwback, but it's only because I myself grew up quite rural as did my father and his father before him. Mind you we didn't descend from loggers, we're seafarers as far back as you can go. Still, hand-knit clothes, days spent in the backwoods and spruce tea boil ups are a very fond memory for me. Seriously run some Irish music in the background there while reading that scene, totally holds up *happy sigh* and y'know turtlenecks are hella sexy<p> 


	8. Lost and found

Island Wolf: Exams are done babyyyy woohoo! Now it's time to kick back and relax - and by relax I mean help my dad finish his kitchen reno and bake copious amounts of cookies because that's how I do. I actually really enjoyed writing this chapter because it is devoted wholly on Maxie and May rather than the big plot (things started to get cute, I went with it - no regrets) as well as fleshing out Maxie's background a little more.

As always thanks to everyone who reviewed, faved, and followed! You guys are the best! :)

I also may have made a glaring error in that Hoenn is apparently a tropical region...so that said for the purposes of this story we're going pretend I'm not that big of a moron and say it's an oceanic temperate zone. Think eastern seaboard ladies and gents. Anyway, enjoy everybody!

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or the characters, I just like to play with them for my own twisted enjoyment.

* * *

><p>Christmas came and went rather peacefully as they continued their regular routine. Maxie was pleased to note that rather than focusing intently and exclusively on her book of choice for the day, May had begun to take more interest in her surroundings, trying out different seating arrangements and occasionally wandering the house or pausing to look out the living room window. Today she seemed quite entranced by the snow falling outside and the book of Byronic poetry lay abandoned in her lap. Without warning the cellphone in his pocket vibrated and he immediately set down his own novel to answer it.<p>

"Hello? Mr. Asher? It's Dr. Villiard."

May's head snapped towards him at the sudden noise and he held his hand up in a calming gesture as he rose and moved into the kitchen where they could speak more privately. "Dr. Villiard, is everything alright?"

"Oh yes, yes – I just wanted to check in on Miss Maple's progress, if there's any to speak of that is."

"She's almost completely weaned off of the medication aside from the hormone regulators and her speech has improved significantly. She still has trouble from time to time, but over all she is becoming fairly proficient."

"And her emotionality?"

"Nothing groundbreaking, but she did display signs of genuine empathy last week. There hasn't been much by way of real emotion since, but she has been, well, exploring for lack of a better word. I'm still rather amazed that she managed to recall it was Christmas."

"It's not all that surprising really. Her memories and knowledge base are still intact for the most part, she just can't associate any feelings with them. To her, memories are like a series of unrelated images, like looking at photographs of someone else's life. They have no meaning to her, but we're trying to change that. Still this is excellent, she's much further along than I'd anticipated. Word to the wise, keep a close eye on her. Now that the process has started her rate of acclimation could increase at an exponential rate. But other than that, physically – how is she doing?"

"She was ill for a while, very fatigued, but she's starting to come around."

"Good, very good. This is great news in terms of her prognosis. I would like you to, if possible, check in with me every week or so. I'd like to track her progress and perhaps make some projections for full rate of recovery."

"Shouldn't be a problem. I'll call you this time next week?"

"Certainly. Thank you, Mr. Asher and keep up the good work – oh and have a Happy New Year, the both of you."

Maxie pressed 'end' and put the phone back into his pocket. When he returned to the living room May was looking at him with a questioning expression. "Who was that?"

"Dr. Villiard, he wanted to know how you were doing," Maxie replied, taking up his original seat in the overstuffed armchair by the fire. He was mildly shocked when her pale lips curved into what could almost be called a smile. He raised an eyebrow at her and she smiled fully for the first time.

"I like Dr. Villiard, he is...nice."

"Indeed he is," Maxie chuckled quietly. "So you like him, do you?"

"I – think so," she said, shifting position so that she was sitting on her knees. "When I think about him, my chest – feels warm and I want to – smile. That is liking someone – yes?"

She was struggling for her words a little bit, but the message was clear as she patted her chest for emphasis. It was a little quirk he'd noticed; whenever she had trouble with syntax she would try to compensate by using her hands – it was rather endearing to be quite honest. He smiled and nodded. "Yes, that does sound like it."

"I – feel that way with you too. But -" she said, placing both hands on her chest over her heart, "more. I don't know – how you call it."

"Oh?"

"Yes," she said, nodding firmly as she shifted her weight from one knee to the other. "You – take care of me so I guess it is – natural, but I feel – more? I like this, you being here – with me. I think it - it makes me...happy."

It took quite a lot of effort on Maxie's part not to cross the room and sweep the young woman perched on the couch up into his arms and that notion worried him somewhat. It hadn't even been two months since he'd killed a man without flinching. He'd worn the uniform of the soldier, the commander, the crime lord for so long, used his acerbity like armour, and yet being thrust into the role of caregiver and companion had been surprisingly easy when it came to her. Even before, when they'd been held captive together, the night she'd come to his room...there was something about her – every time, she seemed to find a way to dredge up parts of him that he thought had died a long time ago; brutally cut down on that frozen battlefield and the bitter years that followed. He'd done terrible things in his life, but this girl – this beautiful, wonderful, caring young woman made him feel like his was worth something. When she looked at him with those azure eyes free of judgement it felt like maybe, just maybe he could be something more than the resentful old veteran or the feared syndicate leader. It suddenly became very difficult to swallow.

"Are you – okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. May, do you feel up to accompanying me on outing today?"

"That would be nice," she said, still smiling. Apparently now that she'd relearned the motion it was difficult for her to stop. "Shall I – get ready?"

"Yes, dress warmly and meet me out back."

* * *

><p>Maxie placed the tweed cap on his head and briefly studied his reflection in the porch mirror. He'd found the long double-breasted riding coat and sturdy brown leather boots that came up to the knee carefully tucked away in the master bedroom closet; his mother's doing no doubt – no one else would have stored them with such obvious love and care. It was a little bit disturbing to him, how much he looked like his father in these clothes – Richard Asher had been a business savvy man with a simple, but caring soul. Maxie shook his head. His son had turned out so differently, despite how much he'd come to mirror the late Asher patriarch's appearance.<p>

He looked away from the mirror and strode out the door, rounding the house where May stood waiting, bundled up in her oversized coat and scarf. She was gazing all around with wide eyes, trying to drink in so many new details. It must have been overwhelming for her, but she still seemed to be smiling. She saw him approach and raised a hand by way of greeting. "Hello. Are we going – walking?"

"Hello to you too," he said. "And not exactly. Just wait here."

He ducked inside the stable and made his way to Maria's stall. He gave her nose a rub and deftly slid on her bridle and bit before unlatching the stall door. "Now, I've got a very big favour to ask of you my dear. You see, there's a very special young woman waiting for me out there. She's going through a difficult time and I'd like to do something for her. Think you can help me out?"

The mare huffed softly and nickered as she bobbed her large head up and down. Maxie smiled and gave her muscular neck a pat. "Good girl."

He took her reins and led her outside. May turned sharply on the spot, hawk-sharp gaze focusing immediately on the Rapidash beside him. This was the first pokémon she'd encountered since she'd slain Gabriel with her own hands under Ardos' control and she seemed...wary. She tilted her head slightly and narrowed her eyes at the mare. "She is your – Rapidash?"

"Yes, her name is Maria," Maxie replied and led the horse-like pokémon closer. "She's very friendly. Go on, say hello."

"Hello," May said, almost shyly. Maria whickered and bobbed her head. She stepped forward a few paces and sniffed May curiously for a moment before thrusting her nose beneath the girl's palm, encouraging her to pet her. May's small smile returned and she continued to pet the mare, moving up to stroke her forelock. "You're right she is very – friendly."

"Indeed. Now you two stay here for a moment, I have to fetch her saddle."

Admittedly draft horses weren't often used for riding, but Richard Asher had been a man of tall stature and found riding the massive beasts far more comfortable than those of mustang lineage. Maxie had retained that habit when it came to favoured mounts. He slid the saddle onto Maria's broad back, cinching the belt securely and adjusted the stirrups. Rapidash riding wasn't a common activity nowadays; aside from the occasional sporting exhibition it was usually reserved for the old families of Kanto and Johto and the aristocracy who still kept such traditions. Satisfied that everything was in place he put his left boot in the stirrup and swung himself up into the saddle. He looked down at May with a smile reached his hand towards her. "Come on, we're going for a ride."

The wariness seemed to return for a moment as she studied his outstretched hand with something akin to suspicion before she finally took hold of it. She stepped on the top of his boot, pushing herself up while he pulled her the rest of the way and helped her sit astride in front of him. He slid his hands under her arms so that he could hold the reins in front of her, both holding her steady while keeping full control of his mount. He clicked his tongue and gave the reins a light flick, spurring the Rapidash into a walk and guiding her along the forest path.

It was just before noon and the sun was out in full force, slanting down through the trees in shafts of golden light. The forest rising up on either side of them was silent save for the occasional Tailow flitting between the pines hoping to forage a few cones for their seeds and bands of Zigzagoons tumbling around in the snow. May craned her neck back, trying to look at him.

"This is a very – strange way to travel," she remarked over the rhythmic clopping of Maria's massive iron shod hooves and the ringing of the bridle as she walked.

"I used to do this all the time when I was a lad," Maxie replied and urged her to look ahead again. "So did my father."

"It is – nice."

"Agreed. Here, let's pick up the pace a bit."

He gave the reins another flick and lightly pressed the heels of his boots into the mare's flanks. She whinnied, speeding up to a trot and then on to a canter. The forest started to blur into shades of green and white until they broke free of the treeline and came to a wide open field that sprawled over several acres and was bisected by the rickety remains of a hand built fence. He spurred Maria into a light gallop parallel to the fence, letting the mare choose her pace and adjusting himself accordingly. For someone who'd never ridden before May was reacting surprisingly well, shifting her weight as needed – then again she'd been flying on the backs of her pokémon for years and without fear or any other emotion to cloud her senses he supposed it was only too easy to figure out how to compensate.

Snow flew up beneath Maria's hooves and the mare's breath fogged on the cold winter air as she put her full head into the run. She was a draft horse yes, but she was still a Rapidash and there was nothing Rapidashes loved more than to run free under the sky. He felt his own heart soar as the landscape sped by. It was a deeply powerful feeling, earthy and strong as the mare's hooves struck a fierce cadence against the snow covered ground and propelled them forward across the land. Eventually they came to the opposite end of the field and Maxie turned them around, heading back into the trees and onto the forest trail as he slowed them back to a loping walk. A brook ran alongside the path, gurgling brightly over the rocks and splashing against the ice forming along the shallow banks.

Now that they'd slowed he could feel May breathing hard and found that he was also slightly out of breath from the wild run. He pulled Maria to a halt next to the brook and carefully dismounted, helping her down after him. The smile was firmly on her face now, wider than it had ever been, dimpling her reddened cheeks. He chuckled and removed his cap so he could rake back the stray hair that had fallen into his face. "Did you enjoy that?"

"It was very – stimulating."

He grinned and place the cap back on his head before passing her the leading reins. "Take her down to the stream for a drink – I want to check something. I think one of the old storage sheds is around here somewhere."

May did as she was bid, leading the mare down to the brook's edge so she could take a drink. Content that the pair were fine Maxie headed up the bank and onto the other side of the trail. He climbed the low hill and when he came to its top he could just make out the shape of a small, square structure composed of felled logs and a rusted piece of ribbed sheet metal that had served as a simple roof. The fact that is was built on the lee side of the hill had stopped it from being completely buried, but the deep drifts had blocked off the door. Maxie made his way down the hill, cringing slightly as he sunk up to his knees and the snow spilled over the tops of his boots – still it was worth taking a look.

His father had built several of the small shacks on various corners of the property, mainly for the purpose of storage, but they doubled as an emergency shelters for any travelling trainers who happened by the property during a storm. He stooped next to one of the windows and tried to peer inside. He could make out the shapes of a few barrels and long-rusted logging equipment, but other than that it was fairly empty inside. Without warning he felt a chill creep up his spine and the hair on the nape of his neck stood on end. He drew up to full height and took a few paces back from the window, scanning the surrounding trees through narrowed eyes. When he looked back at the storage shed he gasped.

An Absol stood statue still on the roof of the shack, thick mane of fur moving ever so gently in the breeze as it stared at him with crimson eyes that seemed to burn with a light of their own. The felid tilted its head slightly and the scythe-like horn gleamed menacingly in the winter sun. Maxie hardly dared to breathe as the disaster pokémon continued to stare him down with those unblinking eyes. An icy blast of wind swept over the clearing and its mouth suddenly parted, exposing a gaping maw lined with razor sharp fangs in a silent roar as it crouched and then launched itself at him. Maxie reflexively brought an arm up to protect his throat from that terrible bite and tried to step backwards, but the deep snow caused him to overbalance and he fell onto his back. He shut his eyes, bracing himself for the teeth that were sure to tear into him...

But it never came.

He lowered his arm and propped himself up on his elbows. The Absol was nowhere to be seen – in fact, when he managed to get back to his feet he could not see any tracks in the snow to indicate which direction the creature had gone in. He looked onto the roof and was startled to find the snow there unblemished, free of any tracks or depressions.

"Are you okay?"

He turned around so sharply that he nearly fell again, but relaxed upon seeing May standing with Maria. The Rapidash seemed completely calm which made him all the more concerned – if the mare had scented the Absol like she should have, she would have been extremely agitated. Maxie cleared his throat and brushed the snow from his overcoat with a tight smile. "Yes, yes – took a tumble is all. Come on, we should be getting back to the house. It'll be dark in a couple of hours."

They made in home in the nick of time.

It seemed that wherever the ghostly Absol had gone, it had decided to take the sun with it. Almost as soon as they'd started to head back dark grey clouds had rolled in, roiling and angry as they blotted out the light and cast everything into shadow. The wind moaned, changing from a light southern breeze to a howling gale blowing in from the north-east and snow was falling thick and fast by the time they made it back to the stable.

"Get inside, I'll look after Maria!" he ordered over the howling wind. May nodded once and made a beeline for the house, leaving Maxie to remove Maria's tack and make sure she was warm and safe in her stall. The Rapidash could produce a significant amount of heat on her own, but he draped the rug over her broad back all the same. It would have been a simple thing to confine the mare to a pokéball, but the large draft horse had been born and raised in the outside, only every being confined to one during her transport from Johto to Hoenn. It would be less stressful for her to weather the storm out in the safety of the stable. He rubbed her neck and she lipped at the lapel of his coat affectionately. "I'll come check on you if the weather gets worse."

She nickered and butted her head against his chest as if to urge him to go and he laughed. "Fine, fine, I'm going."

When he entered the house he found that May had already stoked the fire and was sitting on the couch with a quilt draped over he shoulders, book already in hand. He smiled at her and removed his outer clothing before taking up his usual spot by the fire crackling merrily in the hearth and for a while all was forgotten.

* * *

><p><em>He could feel the winter wind biting through the wool of his uniform, gnawing mercilessly at the flesh beneath. He shivered and pulled the scarf higher to cover his nose before checking the trigger on his rifle for the dozenth time in the space of two minutes – at this rate he was sure the damn mechanism was going to freeze. Three hundred and fifty men in white winter camouflage grouped together at the base of the bluff that ran along the shore of the frozen bay, trying to shelter themselves from the icy gale. The thunder of heavy artillery roared over the wind to the south, the explosive shells sending pulses of power through the rock and ice beneath their feet. <em>

_Thirty minutes had never felt so long._

_There, barely audible above the shell-fire and the howling wind came the long wail of the siren and three hundred and fifty men stood en masse, shouldering their guns. The wind slammed into their side as they stepped away from the shelter of the bluff and onto the sea ice that had formed a thick layer over the bay. Heads bowed against the gale and the blinding snow they marched at a brisk pace. This would do it, a surprise manoeuvre on the enemy's unprotected right flank – it had to work._

_Without warning the wind suddenly died and the snow, that had lashed at them like stinging needles, started drifting down in such a peaceful manner it seemed somehow obscene. Icy fingers trailed up his spine and he turned to look back at the shore. Perched at the crest of the bluff they'd run out from was a small shape, indistinct and hazy through the snow – but what he could see was a pair of crimson eyes and a black horn that gleamed like the reaper's scythe. He blinked and as quick as it had come, the figure was gone._

_The first shell came down shortly after. _

_They heard the all too familiar shriek long before it struck, but with no point of reference there was little they could do but raise their guns and charge forward. The sea ice exploded behind them in a spray of frigid seawater and smoke, showering them in ice and shrapnel. The air was suddenly alive with the scream of incoming artillery and the fierce tattoo of automatic machine gun fire. The sea ice behind them was destroyed in a firestorm of exploding metal while the bay in front of them was chewed up by a relentless hail of bullets. Men fell to his left and his right, screaming as the ice gave way beneath them or falling forward to create bloody halos in the snow. The sea ice to his right exploded and he was thrown violently to the side. His mouth and nose burned with the smell of gunpowder and his ears rung painfully from the blast. He rolled onto his knees, vaguely aware that he left arm would not move and he realized that it had been brutally dislocated. His rifle was no where to be seen, just blood and shrapnel strewn over the ice. The artillery was no longer falling behind them, but was now blowing up the ice in front of them – yawning chasms of dark, black water stretched before and after them, encircling them on all sides. He felt a shudder in the ice beneath him and heard a massive, thundering boom echo across the bay and realized that the ice was breaking up beneath them as bullets rained down like a deadly hail. He plunged into the sea and his scream was strangled by the ocean water rushing into his nose and mouth, burning the lining of his lungs. He clawed his way to the surface and felt his skin burn when he finally managed to reach open air. He clutched at a chunk of ice as hellfire rained down around him and he realized..._

_None of them were ever going to see home again._

* * *

><p>Maxie came awake struggling for air, drenched in a cold sweat and desperately searching for his rifle. It took a few moments of blind panic and phantom pain radiating from his chest and shoulder before he realized that he was in the safety of his bed and the darkness around him was not the crushing abyss of the ocean, but the blackness of a winter's night. He clutched at the edge of the night stand as he dry heaved and it was a good fifteen minutes before he could stop shaking enough to sit upright.<p>

"Fuck," he rasped hoarsely and pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead. It had been so long since that dream had plagued him. Medication and extensive sessions with a clinical psychiatrist had helped upon his initial discharge from the service, but the traumatic memories of that day still reared its ugly head once in a blue moon. He leaned back against the headboard and suddenly realized that outside, a full on storm was raging.

The windows rattled in their frames as the wind slammed against the side of the house, moaning and howling with a vengeance. Maxie rose, shivering as the cold air nipped at the sweat-soaked flesh of his bare torso. He slid on a housecoat, cinching the belt loosely around his waist and smoothing out the uncomfortable creases that had formed in his pyjama pants as he walked over to the window. Snow was falling thick and fast, whipped into a white maelstrom by the raging winds. For one brief moment he thought he saw red eyes gazing at him in the gloom and he abruptly turned away. Absol...

The pokémon had a notorious reputation for appearing before people to warn of coming natural disasters. Earthquakes, typhoons, forest fires – they followed the grim pokémon like toxic shadows that cast fear and despair onto the hearts of any who saw it. That was the usual legend. Some of the older families, however, carried a different myth. He remembered his father mentioning it once, years ago by the fireside, that the Absol didn't only foretell the coming of natural disasters to the general populace. According to older traditions the Absol sometimes attached itself to specific families and acted as a harbinger of doom – a messenger that tragedy was going to befall someone in the family. Maxie had thought it was rubbish, foolish folk stories and wives tales...but Richard Asher had encountered an Absol three days before he'd died of a sudden heart attack and he himself had seen one on the cliffs overlooking the bay just before hell had rained down on them from the sky.

He shook his head and made his way downstairs. Sleep would not find him again tonight.

When he came down he was startled to see the kitchen light on and a small figure perched on the counter, ensconced in a heavy quilt as she stared out the window and the kettle boiling on the stove to her right.

"May?"

She turned to face him and managed to wriggle one hand free of her blanket to wave a greeting. "Hello."

"What are you doing down here?"

"I could not sleep. The sound of the storm -," she paused and tapped a finger against her ear. "Too loud. I decided to make tea – would you like some?"

"Tea would be lovely," he sighed and couldn't help but smile slightly as she slid off of the counter and went to fetch another mug and tea infuser.

"Why are you awake?" she asked, carefully loading the infuser with tea leaves and setting it next to her already prepared one.

"I – had a bad dream...a nightmare," he said quietly, leaning back against the counter. She looked at him quizzically. "Do you dream, May?"

"Dream...visual and auditory sensations that occur during REM sleep," she said, rattling out the definition without missing a beat. It was something he'd noticed over the month they'd spent together. Whenever she described something factual or scientific her speech was much more fluid than it was when she tried to describe her emotional state...or herself in general. "I think so. Nightmares, they are dreams of a – negative nature, yes?"

"Yes."

"Then yes, I think I have had - nightmares," she said quietly, looking down at her lap for a moment before raising her gaze back to him. "What did you – dream about?"

"Memories," Maxie sighed, dragging a hand through his tousled hair, "something bad that happened to me a long time ago."

The kettle began to whistle shrilly and she turned around to remove it from the heat, carefully pouring out the steaming water into both mugs. She set the kettle back down leaned back against the counter next to him as their tea stepped behind them. "Would you – like to talk about it?"

"As I recall, I am the one supposed to be helping you achieve a healthy emotional state, not the other way around," he chuckled. The ironic humour, of course, went completely above her head and she gave him a confused look to which he responded by adjusting the quilt around her shoulders more securely. "I dreamt about my days in the military...about the last battle I saw action in during the North Wars."

"It did not – end well."

"No. There were three hundred and fifty men in my regiment...by the time it was all said and done, nine of us answered roll call the next morning."

"What happened?"

Maxie closed his eyes and took a deep steadying breath. "We'd been at a standstill for weeks, neither side was gaining any ground so we decided to make a push. The plan was simple; the gunners would keep the front lines occupied with an artillery barrage while my regiment would cross the bay over the sea ice and take them by the flank in a surprise attack. The artillery fire started and we started across the ice as planned, but then...I don't know how, but somehow they'd gotten wind of our plan and they were waiting for us. Once we'd gotten to the middle of the bay the fired an artillery barrage of their own and took out the ice behind and in front of us. We were sitting ducks for the gunners after that."

"How did you – survive?"

"I went into the water. I don't really know how, but I managed to get to the shore. I was retrieved by a scouting party along with the other survivors some time later," he said quietly. He felt slender arms wrap around him and he opened his eyes, looking down into deep azure wells. "May?"

"It is – good that you survived," she said and slow smile spread across her face. She curled a hand over her heart again, tapping it rhythmically while she searched for the words. "I would be – sad not knowing you."

Maxie wordlessly wrapped his arms around her, bringing one hand to rest on the nape of her neck as she rested her head against his chest. He ran his fingers through her soft brown locks, blinking fiercely against the sudden burning in his eyes.

_You're getting in too deep old man. She's only saying that because she doesn't know any better. Once she's back to normal this won't be able to happen. She doesn't actually feel this way._

He tried very hard not to believe that.

* * *

><p>When he awoke he was immediately aware of three things. One, that he was not in his bed, but on the living room couch, two, the blizzard was still raging outside, and three – May was stretched out on top of him, still sleeping and her quilt was draped over them both.<p>

There was one heart-stopping moment of panic, but he breathed a sigh of relief when he found them still both fully clothed, though his house coat had worked its way open at some point. The relief was quick to turn back into panic when he realized that he could feel every curve of her body pressed against him – Christ why was she _always_ without her bra at the worst possible moment – and he was having a very male reaction to having a pretty woman laid out on top of him.

He swallowed sharply when he felt her start to stir and deftly curled an arm around her waist to slide her further up his body to prevent her from noticing his predicament. The draw back was, of course, that she was now face to face with him, blinking owlishly as she came to. She yawned softly and looked from left to right, appearing not to notice how intimately they were pressed together or how their noses were practically touching. "This is not my bed," she stated so matter-of-factly that Maxie nearly smiled.

"No, no it's not," he agreed. He waited for a moment and upon realizing that she had no intention on moving he sat up and moved her so that she was sitting next to him on the couch. He cleared his throat and quickly closed his housecoat. "I apologize May."

"For what?"

"For allowing us to fall asleep in such positions. That was inappropriate on my part."

"Why?" she enquired, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and trying to process the information he was giving her.

"I am supposed to be looking after you. My conduct last night could be seen as taking advantage of you."

"Taking – advantage of me?" she repeated, her brow furrowing. "I do not – understand? You did not try to do me harm."

"No I -" He cut himself off and realized that he was digging himself a _very_ deep hole. How could he explain this to her without telling her that he was – no, no he couldn't even admit it to himself. That would make it real and that would be too much to handle. This conversation was long over due - it would be far kinder to both of them in the long run. "Sleeping together, holding each other in such a manner is something that is generally reserved for people who have a deep emotional attachment to one another."

"Oh."

Was it just a trick of the light or did she genuinely look saddened by the remark?

After a pregnant silence he gave her a tight smile. "I have to get a shower, but after that I'll make us some breakfast."

"I would – like that."

* * *

><p>The next few days were fairly uneventful, but Maxie had noticed a change in May's demeanour. She'd slowly become more sullen and, dare he say it, sulky. He felt guilt gnawing at him and couldn't help but think that it was related to the conversation he'd had with her that morning they'd woken up together on the couch.<p>

Today she was curled up in her usual corner against the arm of the couch, but she was bereft her usual book for favour of wrapping her arms around her abdomen and hunching over her lap. Maxie frowned – if he didn't know any better he would've sworn she was in pain. "May, are you feeling alright?"

"I – do not know," she murmured, still curled up over herself. "I feel - discontented and imbalanced, and I am having discomfort in my lower abdomen."

Maxie narrowed his eyes and removed his glasses, polishing them thoughtfully while he pondered the symptoms she'd described. He came to a sudden realization and hastily excused himself, moving to the upstairs bathroom where he'd taken to storing May's medications and other supplies. She'd been weaned off of almost all of them save for one glaring exception – the oral contraceptives that Dr. Villiard had prescribed for her in order to rebalance and regulate her sex hormones. Now he hadn't kept the company of a woman in quite some time, current situation aside, but he was well aware of the...biological rhythms they went through. He checked the current package she was on and was mildly alarmed that there was only one pill left before the week of placebos. He immediately pulled out his cellphone and dialled Villiard's number.

"Dr. Villiard speaking."

"It's Maxie."

"Mr. Asher? I wasn't expecting a call until later this week, I do hope everything is alright?"

"Yes – no, I don't know," he stammered, dragging a hand over his face. "May has reported feeling unwell. She told me this morning that she felt 'imbalanced' and she had pain in her lower abdomen. I've also took the liberty of checking her hormone regulators and – well – "

He was cut off by the doctor's low laughter on the other end of the line and scowled. "What's so funny?"

"Well it sounds to me like there's nothing wrong at all. She's just ovulating as a young woman her age should. It's really a good thing, it means she's stabilizing, physically at least. Really Mr. Asher, a woman's menstrual cycle isn't that scary. She just likely hasn't connected the symptoms to the fact that she's going to menstruate soon, all you have to do is inform her and she can take care of herself – I made sure she had the necessary supplies, don't worry."

"I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation Doctor."

"Oh, how so?"

"The young woman sitting on my living room couch has the physical strength of three men combined, no set moral boundaries, is fully capable of snapping necks at the drop of a hat _and you're telling me that she's PMSing!?_"

"...Do you still have those sedatives I gave you?"

"Yes, why?"

"You might want to keep them on hand for the next seven to ten days."

"I'm going to die, aren't I."

"Oh don't be so melodramatic...though the possibility isn't beyond reason. Anyway I've got a lot of work to do, good luck Mr. Asher. I will speak to you later this week...hopefully."

Maxie scowled again and ended the call. The doctor had been fighting back laughter on the other end, he could tell.

He rolled his shoulders, trying in vain to relieve the tension building there as he descended the steps back to the living room. May was still on the couch where he had left her, staring glumly into the fire. He picked up the quilt hang over the back of the couch and draped it around her. She gave him a look that was almost a glare, but snuggled beneath the blanket nonetheless. Maxie sighed and rubbed her shoulder lightly. "I'm sorry you're in discomfort, your body is returning to its normal biological rhythms as a female."

"I am - entering my menstrual cycle then."

"Yes."

"I see," she murmured as she proceeded to pull away from him and lay down on the couch, tucking a throw pillow beneath her head. "I think I would like to - nap."

"Alright," he acquiesced and drew back from her. "I'm going to take Maria out for a ride - I'll be back before evening. Is that acceptable?"

She refrained from answering verbally, settling for a small nod as she closed her eyes. Frowning, Maxie walked away, retrieving his coat and boots before heading out to the stable. The Rapidash greeted him with a whinny and when she realized she was being saddled for a ride she pranced eagerly in place. He took her out to the yard and she pulled to a stop, looking around with a huff. Maxie sighed and rubbed her neck. "May's not coming out today, it's just you and me old girl."

The mare seemed slightly put out by the absence of her master's companion, but settled down regardless, allowing him to swing himself up into the saddle. He flicked the reins, urging her into a fast trot right away and then onto a full gallop. He wanted the world to melt away with the trees as they turned into a molted blur of white and evergreen, he wanted to forget how she'd stopped smiling at him - he wanted to forget just how much he felt for May Maple. He gritted his teeth and urged Maria on ever faster once they came to the open field. Eventually they ran out of room to run when they came to the very edge of the property and the rickety remains of the fence that marked it. From here the foothills rolled openly beneath a powder blue sky, fringed by the forests that dotted the landscape. Mount Chimney rose up, grey in indistinct in the distance, fringed by the lower ridges that surrounded it. He dismounted and leaned against one of the fence posts, gazing at the volcano's silhouette and let his mind drift back over a decade when he'd stood above the lava chamber - where he'd challenged her for the first time. He remembered her walking through air that shimmered with intense heat, undaunted by the embers and ash had swirled on the thermals like scalding snow - absolutely fearless and determined to bring him down.

He felt Maria lip at the sleeve of his coat and he turned to look at her. If a Rapidash could look accusatory, Maria certainly did. Maxie smiled ruefully and rubbed at her nose - Pokémon were deucedly in tune to their trainer's moods sometimes. "Don't look at me like that, I'm trying to be kind to her - she's vulnerable right now and it'd be taking advantage of her."

The mare huffed and stamped a hoof, nipping at his sleeve more forcefully. "What, you think I'm wrong?"

Maria bobbed her head.

"You know who and what I am you silly beast. I'm trying to heal her, but after she's back to normal - I won't be any good for her, I'm not the kind of company a girl like her keeps."

The Rapidash whinnied loudly and reared up, slamming her two front hooves down. She seized his cap in her teeth and backed away from his reach. He scowled and stepped forward to make a grab for it, but she pranced further away, tossing her head with a displeased snort. Maxie placed his hands on his hips and glared at the mare, who merely stood her ground and stamped her hoof again. Losing his patience Maxie turned away, leaning on the fence post again muttering savage curses under his breath.

_'Make her feel safe, make her feel loved and I think we can bring Miss Maple back'_

Villiard's words echoed in his mind and he sighed, slumping his shoulders in defeat. Make her feel loved...he'd done a poor job of that the past few days, but Christ the emotions she brought up in him - they'd been dormant for so long and to feel them so strongly now...frankly it was terrifying. He felt Maria walk up beside him and she nudged his arm. He smiled and retrieved his cap, placing it back onto his head. "Okay, perhaps I've been a bit of a selfish bastard -"

She butted her head against him so hard he nearly toppled over the fence.

"Alright! I've been a very selfish bastard. Come on then, take me home so I can make things right."

* * *

><p>Dusk wasn't far off by the time he'd reached home. He'd tended to Maria and entered the house to find the fire burning low and May fast asleep on the couch, wrapped up in her quilt. He felt himself smile and knelt in front of the hearth to stoke the fire. Soon a merry blaze was crackling away and he rose to sit in his usual chair. A soft groan stopped him and he turned to see May's face contort in pain. He moved to kneel down in front of her, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear before starting to rub her shoulder. She whimpered at first, but soon relaxed under his touch and her azure eyes fluttered open. "You are back."<p>

"Yes," he said softly, moving to sit on the couch beside her. She seemed to hesitate for a moment before she slowly sat up, but made sure to keep a few inches of space between them. Maxie sighed and curled an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close and erasing the gap. She stiffened and looked at him.

"But you -"

"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "What I said before - I didn't mean that I don't have an emotional attachment to you - I - quite the opposite in fact."

"You are - attached to me?"

"Yes, more than I should be," he admitted honestly. "You are not in your right frame of mind. I was - I still am, worried that you would think ill of me for my conduct while you're so vulnerable and impressionable."

May pulled away from him, if only to turn so she was facing him fully. She gazed at his face carefully, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as if scrutinizing him. Slowly she reached up and held his face in her hands. He hardly dared to breathe as her gaze flitted left and right and she drew him closer until their foreheads were touching - just as they had before Ardos had taken her away.

"I know," she said, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards in a small smile. She drew back and tapped a finger against her temple. "I know I am - not how I am supposed to be. I know that - I need to learn a lot still."

May's smile widened and she placed a hand on his chest. "I know that you care, and there is nothing wrong with that. I know that you - are a good man and I will - never think ill of you. Not even when I -" She tapped her temple again, "am back."

For the second time that week Maxie found himself dangerously close to tears for the first time in almost two decades. He placed his hand over the one she had still over his heart. "May, I have done awful things -"

She placed her other hand over his and looked him dead in the eye. "So - have I. Just because you have done - bad things, does not make you a bad person. If you are bad then - so am I."

Maxie barely choked back that anguished cry he wanted to let out so badly and pulled her forward into a tight embrace. When she wrapped her arms around him he realized that he was completely and hopelessly lost to her.

And he had no intentions of being found.

* * *

><p>Island Wolf: And there you have it. I know the insertion of the Absol lore seems a bit odd, but I got the idea when I was skimming through an old mythology text book of mine and I came across the Banshee. One of the old myths about the Banshee is that she tended to attach herself to certain families and I thought, hey this could be a bit of fun and I can finally put in a flash back. Two birds and all that. I also decided to include a little humour regarding certain aspects of female biology courtesy of Isis the Sphinx who brought up the idea of May having to rediscover the joy of periods (lads if you're reading - they suck, they really, really suck). Once I started thinking about it I had to put in a little something about it haha ;) It got a bit gooier than I'd originally planned right at the end, but I'm actually quite pleased with it, I hope you all were too :3<p> 


	9. When the nights are long and dark

Island Wolf: 8D ohmygosh, guys as always I can't thank you all enough for your kind reviews - I'm so giddy! The faves, the follows and the views, they are a great Christmas present

Also - holy crap I actually stumbled across mentions of this fic on Tumblr (yes I'm on Tumblr too, if you've posted anything related to Redorbshipping I've probably liked or follow you haha) and I just, oh my god I had to put my laptop down because I was squealing and blushing so hard! So Frozenmadame, Feministmaxie, Hybriddragoness, Aly-san, Meganefucker, Hollowcreeks and everybody else - you guys are _awesome_

Dude this chapter was so hard to write and I think you'll see why when you read it, but on the bright side I finally broke 100 pages with this story *pops the cork on a bottle of champagne* VICTORY!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, blah, blah, blah

* * *

><p>The next month went by so peacefully that Maxie had nearly forgotten that they were at war.<p>

His mornings had become bright with May's smiles and her azure eyes lighting up more and more each day. Her speech continued to improve and her struggles became fewer, though she'd seemed to retain the habit of using her hands to talk, but it was a quirk he'd become fond of. She accompanied him on almost every outing, even when he went deep into the forest to harvest more wood. He'd been wary at first, when she'd asked to participate, but then she'd picked up two massive logs that probably weighed more than she did he promptly put a stop to his fussing. She had begun to read his moods better too, and to understand, if just a little. Much of what he tried to explain went completely over her head, but she seemed content in trying.

The best part, by far, however was that fact that he could sense some of her old spark coming back. It would appear out of the blue, she would look at him and he could see that gleam in her eye when she would respond to one of his comments with a surprising amount of wit. It was a pale shadow of her usual fiery banter, but every time she was borderline sarcastic made him ludicrously happy. It was one such verbal parry that had him smiling into the phone during his weekly phone call to Dr. Villiard.

"It's remarkable how far she's come. I can see her old personality starting to come through. I really think it's beginning to work."

"Yes, she does seem to be recovering at an exponential rate...however..."

Maxie frowned. He could hear the worried tone in Villiard's voice and it sent a cold claw of fear trailing down his spine. "However...?"

"She has been making wonderful progress that much is true – but only in one department of her emotionality. Almost all outward emotions, or the closest thing she can come to projecting, have been of a positive nature. She has yet to experience the darker side of things; sorrow, grief, rage...those are still locked away. This is a great concern now that I've been mapping her recovery rate."

"How so?"

"As I said before, the pattern has plotted an exponential curve – her episodes of true personality are becoming more frequent and more intense. I'm afraid that the longer it takes her to experience negative emotions, the more explosive the eventual episode will be. Whatever mental base she's managed to construct for herself may not survive the onslaught," the doctor said gravely. "Think about what she's been through – when she regains the full range of emotions the negative ones are going to, based on current projections, hit her like a psychological freight train. I had hoped that her recovery would be more linear, a slow and steady acquisition, but the way things are right now...to be blunt Mr. Asher, she's going to get one hell of a shock."

"Is there anything I can do? Should I try to – induce negative feelings?"

"No, no, keep doing what you're doing – forcing things could be disastrous. I just want you to be aware of what's likely to come. She'll be very unpredictable. Do you still have the sedatives?"

Unlike the last time he'd asked that question Villiard's voice was low and serious, devoid of laughter.

"Yes."

"Good, you still may need them. Her mental state may be delicate, but physically she is still quite dangerous."

"I'll keep that in mind. Do you -," It was suddenly hard to speak when he glanced back into the living room and watched her leaf through a book of Tennyson's works, resting her chin on the heel of her hand with an odd half-smile. "Do you have any idea of when this might happen?"

"Based on the current data I'd say – within the next few weeks, but realistically speaking it could be any day now."

"I understand. Thank you Doctor, I'll call you should anything happen."

Maxie ended the call and pocketed his cellphone. A heavy weight had descended on his shoulders and he found it difficult to look at the young woman sitting so serenely in his living room. May seemed to sense his sudden discomfort because she looked up from her book and tilted her head slightly to the side as she always did when she studied him. "Is everything – okay?"

"Yes, fine. That was just Dr. Villiard checking in," he said, forcing a smile. One good thing about her lack of deep empathic understanding was that she couldn't recognize when the motion was feigned. He crossed the room and sat down on the couch next to her and retrieved his copy of 'White Fang'. This had been another development he'd come to enjoy – the fact they no longer sat apart, but spent the afternoons together on the couch. She'd been the first to make the move, surprisingly enough. About two weeks ago he'd gone to take up his usual armchair, but she'd wordlessly taken his hand and pulled him over to the sofa. He'd taken to sitting beside her ever since. Her small smile returned and she leaned against him.

It took quite a lot to keep still and composed when he realized that these days were now numbered and he might never get to enjoy such company with her again.

The thought was more than a little heartbreaking and Maxie desperately wanted to sweep her up into his arms and show her that no matter what had happened to her, no matter what she might face in the future that he would be there for her. He wanted her to know and to understand more than anything, that he cared about her and he would give anything to keep her safe.

But for now he could do nothing but pretend that everything was alright. He turned his focus back onto his book, but after realizing he'd read the same line six times he set it down and feigned falling asleep. May called his name softly and felt her hand on his arm, but he dared not move. He heard her put down her book and suddenly realized that she'd wriggled her way under his arm and was nestling herself against him. He couldn't stand it anymore.

He pulled her up into his arms and laid himself down on the couch so that she was on top of him, much like they had been a month ago, the morning after their first ride. She hardly seemed bothered by the sudden change in position and merely laid her head down on his chest with a contented sigh. He brought a hand up to stroke her soft brown locks and closed his eyes. Slowly, he started to slip into a real doze, lulled by the soft sound of her breathing and the warmth of her presence.

* * *

><p>Nearly a week passed and Maxie was quite sure he'd never felt so anxious before in his life.<p>

Every tiny motion, every look she gave him sent a pulse of absolute dread to his very core, but all she'd given him were easy smiles and offers of tea. If he came out of this without going grey he'd be very surprised. Today she seemed to be content in the kitchen, cleaning the morning's dishes while he pulled on his turtleneck and coat to head outside to cut more splits of wood for the wood stoves and fireplace.

"Are you sure you're alright in here?" he said, pulling on his tweed cap. She nodded and slid another plate onto the drying rack. "Alright, I'll be right out back if you need me."

He left her to her work and headed around to the yard to start his. Maria must have heard him coming because she whinnied a greeting and he ducked into the stable to give her a quick pat. "Hello old girl, no running today I'm afraid – too much work at the homestead."

The mare huffed and stomped her hoof petulantly, clearly disappointed. Maxie gave the pokémon a wry grin and pulled an apple out of his coat pocket. The horse immediately perked up and eagerly accepted the offering, looking far more content munching on the sweet fruit. "The way to your heart is through your stomach, isn't it you great silly beast."

The Rapidash bobbed her head shamelessly.

Maxie laughed and headed back outside, picking up the axe he'd left leaning against the stable door. He pulled a few larger logs from the pile and set them down next to the large flat stump he used as a base for splitting. He stood the first log vertically on the stump's surface, took aim and then slammed the axe down, cleaving it neatly in two along the centre grain. He kept repeating the process, pausing only to remove his coat when the vigorous activity caused him to sweat. He'd nearly gotten through the pile when he heard a high-pitched neigh ring out from the stable. Frowning, Maxie slammed the axe down into the splitting stump and went to check on his pokémon. When he stepped into the stable his irritation at being interrupted immediately turned into concern. The mare was stomping her massive hoof repeatedly, grunting and huffing through flared nostrils with her ears pinned flat against her skull and large brown eyes rolling in terror. "Maria, what on earth has gotten into you?"

His answer came in the form of a long, low howl. He immediately moved to the stable door and spied the lean, grey shapes ghosting through the trees on the edge of the property. Five ragged looking Mightyenas stood scenting the air at the fringe of the treeline. One of them, a big male even though he was all skin and bones, edged out into the open. Maxie frowned, this was a wild pack – one that was hurting from the hard winter by the looks of it. They must have come down from the mountains looking for food. He eyed the axe gleaming on the stump. He had no pokémon right now besides Maria, who had never been trained for battle. If the starving canines wanted to attack there would be little he could do to stop them except try to make a break for the house and retrieve his father's old .303 rifle and he doubted he could make the run without falling victim to five sets of long, hungry teeth. The prowling canines came to a sudden halt, their heads snapping up and ears perked as they detected something his human senses could not. Without warning they started cowering, ears back and tails down between their legs as they whined and whimpered before taking off at a dead sprint.

Maxie dashed out into the yard, trying to see what on earth had frightened the pack of Mightyena off. When he turned around he felt his blood run cold. The Absol gazed down at him from the roof of the stable, silent and ominous just as it had been in the forest. Eyes the colour of blood burned with an unholy fire as they bored into him. He felt a tremor run through him and he curled his hands into fists. "What do you want!?" he yelled raggedly. "What are you trying to tell me?"

The Absol remained impassive, gazing down at him coldly until it suddenly raised its head and looked directly at the house. Almost as soon as it had done so a blood curdling shriek cut through the stillness like a knife. The sound ripped into him with more pain than any bullet and he ran to the house, the Absol forgotten.

* * *

><p>May watched Maxie pull on his cap and he asked her once again if she was alright staying in the house on her own. She nodded and sent him away with a smile. She still could not comprehend why he insisted on repeating his questions when she'd already given him an answer. Why would she not be alright in the house without his presence? There were no dangers here or anything she needed to be wary of. She shook her head and dipped a dirtied drinking glass into the soapy dishwater. What an odd sort of behaviour. Still, it was tolerable – Maxie had been very patient with her, taking time to explain things that she could not understand and making sure she was provided for. It always caused a strange physiological reaction when he looked at her, a warmth in her chest that she could not attribute to any bodily function and the strangest urge to smile when he did so. Those sensations intensified when he was near her and when he touched her they multiplied ten fold. She'd purposely started seeking out reasons to bring them into physical contact, though she couldn't fathom why – it served no purpose other than bringing up the unexplained reactions.<p>

A long, quavering howl made her freeze, the water filled glass still in her hand. She leaned forward, peering out the kitchen window. There, ghosting through the trees she could make out the skulking figures lurking around the forest's edge. Mightyenas. One of them, the alpha male judging from his size and pattern of colouration edged out onto the property. He stood, tall and proud despite the ribs sticking out painfully beneath his dark fur and he turned to look directly at her with ruby coloured eyes that gleamed with a fierce intelligence.

It suddenly felt like all the air had been driven from her lungs.

The way the Mightyena carried himself, gazed at her without fear, so proud and strong – if reminded her of something...someone...

"Ga – Gabriel."

A sharp pain exploded behind her eyes she and felt a strange sensation in her nose – something warm was suddenly running down over her mouth. She reached up to touch it and her fingers came away smeared with blood. She inhaled and time stopped. Memories flashed through her mind like an unbidden flood, but they were no longer simple, recalled images and events. Every one had changed from dull sepia to terrifyingly vivid colours. Sounds and sensations became sharp enough to cut and her heart began to race. She couldn't breathe and the memory of crushing Gabriel's ribcage before effortlessly snapping his neck played through her mind with agonizing slowness - the sound of his bones breaking, the smell of his blood and the way it stained the floor. _ I did that...I hurt him...I betrayed him...the look in his eyes – the pain – oh god, I did that, I did that, I did that..._

Ruby eyes filled with hurt dissolved away, replaced by a cold gaze of winter blue that gleamed savagely in the harsh fluorescent light as a whispered order came to remove her clothing. Her gut twisted with shame as she remembered sliding off the body suit, black neoprene pooling at her feet like a discarded skin while icy hands explored her bare flesh. _I let him...how could I let him do that...how could he..._

The memories were coming thick and fast now, pokémon she'd put to death, the faces of men she'd never known contorted in pain as she'd been used to punish them for their failings, laying awake on a cold steel table as they bored into her skull and stripped her of humanity one brain implant at a time. A million voices screamed at her; _liar, whore, weakling, monster, __**murderer**_. The glass shattered in her hand, slicing deep gashes into her palm, but the pain didn't register – her horror did and her vocal chords finally regained their power in the form of a long, wailing scream.

The door to the house was flung open and a man came rushing inside. Her body reacted long before her mind did, seizing a knife from the counter as she dropped into a predatory crouch. She skinned her lips back over her teeth and _snarled_.

"Get away from me!" she hissed. "Get away, get away!"

The man seemed undaunted and slowly removed his hat (red hair...why was that so familiar?) keeping his hands up to show he was unarmed. "May, calm down – you know who I am. It's me, it's Maxie."

"Stay – away!" she spat, trying to stay focused when the pain in her forehead returned with a vengeance. Maxie, that name – why did she know that name. He stepped forward and she slashed the air in front of her menacingly. "Don't come – any closer!"

He kept moving forward, talking to her in that low, even tone. Her entire body shook at the sound and she screamed again, but he kept coming closer. When he reached a hand towards her, her spring-taut muscles exploded into movement. She'd opened a long thin cut along his left cheek and stabbed into his shoulder before he even knew what was happening. His heavy clothing had stopped most of the force, but she'd still managed to jab in a solid inch trying to warn him off. The knife was slick with red – hers dripping down the handle and his staining the blade.

He staggered back a pace and his earth brown eyes widened in shock and hurt – the same hurt that had been in...oh god what had she done.

The knife hit the kitchen floor with a clatter as it slipped from her nerveless fingers. She clutched her head in her hands, wailing as she sunk down to her knees. "No, no, no, no," she screamed. "It's not real, it's not real!"

Firm, but gentle hands wrapped around her wrists, pulling her hands away from her face. "May, look at me – look at me," he said softly and she did. His dark eyes were soft and warm and she suddenly found herself desperate to lose herself in them, to drown in their depths and forget the world existed. He cradled her face in his hands. When he spoke his voice was low and rough as though he, himself were close to tears. "May, please say you know me. Please tell me you remember who I am!"

"Maxie." She could barely choke out his name and when she saw the blood rolling down his face and staining his clothing the tears started to flow anew. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, oh god – I'm a monster, I'm so sorry!"

She curled her arms around his neck and he held her in turn, rocking her back and forth as she screamed and sobbed until her voice gave out. He rubbed her back and kept one hand on the nape of her neck, murmuring over and over, "It's okay May. I'm here, I'm here."

May lost all sense of time sitting there on the kitchen floor, but eventually her body could not keep up with the tempest of her emotions and she grew too fatigued to even cry. When her sobs quietened Maxie pulled back slightly, holding her upright when he realized she could no longer support herself. "May, please let me help you. Can you let me do that?"

She barely had the strength to nod.

Carefully, handling her as though she were made of glass. He kept one arm behind her upper back and slid the other beneath the crook of her knees, lifting her up into his arms. He took her upstairs to his room and laid her down on the bed. He brushed away the sweat-dampened and bloodied hair that had fallen into her face. "I'll be right back okay?"

She felt an intense surge of panic and clung to his arm like a lifeline, ignoring the pain of the glass biting into her skin. He gently removed her hand, placing it over his heart instead. "I promise I'll be back. I just need to get some things to treat your wounds. Please, I'll be back I swear."

There was something in his voice, that overwhelming warmth and promise of safety – for whatever reason made her believe him. She nodded and laid back down as he left the room. Memories flashed behind her eyelids like lightning, the roiling tumult of rage and grief roaring like the thunder that followed. She whimpered and felt the tears start to come again, but they were brushed away by gentle hands. May opened her eyes and sobbed with relief when she saw him. He eased her into a sitting position with her back against the headboard and took her injured hand in his.

"This is going to hurt a little," he said, his tone apologetic as he dabbed a peroxide-soaked cloth over the deep cuts the broken glass had made in her palm. It burned, but the pain paled in comparison to the absolute agony her mind was in. Once he seemed satisfied that the wounds were cleaned he used a pair of tweezers to pick out the shards of glass that had remained embedded in her skin. "Try to stay with me May. I know it's hard – but I need you to hold on for just a while longer."

He finished removing the glass and bandaged her hand as best as he could manage. "I want to take you to Lilycove. The doctors there can help you -"

"Don't leave me!" she blurted as the panic returned full force and clutched the front of his shirt. "I can't – I can't – "

Maxie shushed her gently and covered her hands with his. "I won't leave you May, I promise, but you need help that I'm unable to give. Let me take you to Lilycove."

She felt the muscles of her throat spasm from another dry sob. "You'll stay with me? You won't leave me alone?"

"I promise," he whispered fiercely. Fresh tears came hot and relentless.

"I – I can't – I don't think I can -" She started to tremble violently. "I can't handle this."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace. She bit her lip until she tasted copper and buried her face into his chest. Beneath the smell of blood and peroxide she could detect the scent that was uniquely him. He smelt of woodsmoke, pine resin, hay and the deepest glens of the winter woods. It was the smell of safety...it was the smell of home. She inhaled sharply when he pulled back and placed a soft kiss against her forehead. Beneath the dark memories that clouded her mind like oily shadows came flashes of light – reading with him by the fire, that first wild ride with him through the sunlit woods...waking up in his arms...

"Yes, you can," he murmured. "I'll be with you the whole time. I'm not going to leave you May, I'll _never_ leave you."

"_I know_."

After a beat of silence he glanced at the bedside table. "...I can give you something to help you sleep for a while if you'd like."

May suddenly realized that there was a syringe filled with a clear fluid on the table and she went rigid with fear. Phantom pains radiated from her wrists and ankles at the memory of unforgiving leather straps and the chill of stainless steel beneath her back. His arms were suddenly around her again, pulling her close and rubbing her back soothingly. "Hey, easy," he said. "Easy, I'm not going to hurt you May. You don't have to take it."

The shadows were back, eating away the good memories with rows of savage teeth as the voices started to scream again. She didn't know whether she wanted to sob or snarl. "No – I'll take it – just make it stop, please!"

Maxie nodded and cleaned the crook of her left arm with peroxide before picking up the syringe. He felt for the vein and lined up the needle. Sliding his free hand beneath her chin he tilted her gaze up towards him. "Just keep looking at me, okay? Look at me and nothing else."

She did as he asked, keeping her gaze focused on him and his impossibly dark eyes. She barely felt the metal pierce her skin, but shuddered when she felt the injection surge into her bloodstream. It only took a moment for the drugs to take effect and the world started to blur before her. His arms were back around her, holding her steady while he spoke soft words of encouragement. His voice was like a lullaby, drowning out the screams and she went willingly into the darkness with the promise that he'd be there when she had to face the cold light of reality again.

* * *

><p>When the medication finally started to work and May fell into blissful unconsciousness in his arms Maxie finally allowed the tears he'd been struggling to hold back, to fall.<p>

He hadn't cried since the day his mother had passed away, so many long years ago. He never thought that seeing May this way would hurt him so damn much. How could he protect her when the monsters were inside her own head? He held her close and whispered things he desperately wanted to say to her – he knew full well that he might never get another chance to.

Composing himself he laid her back down on the bed to go tend to his own injuries. The dosage he'd given her would keep her down for several hours at least which was more than enough time to clean the cut on his face and hastily tape a wad of gauze over the knife wound in his shoulder. Christ he'd forgotten how fast she could be – he was just thankful she hadn't decided to go for his throat. He pulled on a clean shirt and turned back to May, still stretched out peacefully on his bed. Taking up one of the spare quilts, he wrapped it around her before hefting her up into his arms and carrying her out to the truck. After he secured her in the passenger seat he quickly jogged around back to the stable. Maria was wide eyed and still very nervous, ears twitching and nostrils flared as she huffed and grunted. He rubbed her neck soothingly to calm her down. "I have to go for a while, but I'll be back – I'll bar the door so nothing can get at you, alright?"

The mare nickered quietly and, sensing her trainer's sadness, draped her massive head over his shoulder and tucked in her chin, drawing him in and effectively pulling him into the Rapidash equivalent of an embrace. When she finally let him go Maxie rubbed her forelock affectionately. "Thanks old girl, stay safe."

He left the stable, bolting the door securely behind him lest the pack of Mightyena return and returned to the truck. He slid the key in the ignition, the Hemi engine roaring to life as he pulled out his cellphone and quickly dialled Dr. Villiard's number.

"Dr. Villiard speaking."

"It's happened," Maxie said as he put the vehicle into drive and started down the mountain road that would lead him to the highway. "She's not doing well – I'm taking her to Lilycove right now, can you call ahead and have someone ready to meet us?"

"Of course, call me as soon as you can with more details."

"Will do," he answered and ended the call. He glanced over at his unmoving passenger and felt his heart twist painfully. "It's going to be okay May. You'll be okay."

_You have to be_

They hit the main highway and Maxie promptly ignored the posted speed limit as they flew towards the city. Within an hour the lights and chimney smoke of Lilycove drew into view. The truck's tires screeched in protest as he brought the vehicle to an abrupt stop in front of the main doors of Lilycove General Hospital. He'd just managed to open the passenger side door when a team of nurses came running with a wheeled gurney, a man in a long white lab coat leading them. He was a middle-aged chap, late fifties probably with salt and pepper hair and eyes the colour of amber that would have seemed kindly with their multitude of laugh lines had they not been narrowed with intense focus.

The nurses moved passed him and proceeded to gently unload May from the truck and put her down on the gurney. The doctor looked him up and down once before extending a hand. "Bill Strickland, Marcus phoned me up right after you called him. Steven Stone is on his way down as well, but he won't get here until late this evening. Come on, Marcus told me it was important to keep you with Miss Maple as much as possible."

Maxie shook the man's hand, feeling slightly numb as he was led inside, through a maze of hallways. The sterile smell of disinfectant made him shudder, but he kept pace as they came to an isolated room that had bee presumably set aside for May. At least here should the worst happen the damage could be contained. Strickland's team made quick work of moving May from the gurney to the bed, hooking her up to an IV and other medical instruments in the room.

"What sedative did you use?"

Wordlessly Maxie fished out the small glass bottle from his pocket and handed it to the doctor who nodded appreciatively. "Alright, our plan of action here is fairly straightforward. I would like to do a few scans of Miss Maple's brain and forward them to my wife in neurology to make sure there is no damage, then I would like to bring her out of sedation to do a psychological evaluation. Are you in accordance?"

"Yes," Maxie replied weakly. "Do whatever you have to."

"You did the right thing bringing her here," Strickland assured him. "Would you mind waiting around here while we take her for scanning? We shouldn't be long, this case has priority."

"No, no of course not. I'll be here."

"Alright, I'll have one of the nurses tend to you while you wait," the doctor said and Maxie suddenly realized that he must look a mess with the cut on his face and the blood spotting his shirt where it had seeped through the gauze. He nodded somewhat ruefully.

"That would be appreciated."

* * *

><p>With the cut on his face cleaned again and the wound in his shoulder neatly stitched up under a fresh bandage there was little he could do but wait. The mediocre coffee was little relief and towards the end of the hour he'd taken to pacing the room – anything to keep him occupied. The door suddenly opened and his heart leapt into his throat. May was still unconscious, looking pale and small in her hospital gown as they placed her back onto the bed and hooked her back up to the various monitors. Dr. Strickland wasn't far behind with a manilla folder tucked under his arm.<p>

"Ah, Mr. Asher I have good news," he said, opening the folder and giving its contents a quick scan. "There appears to be no damage and it appears the implants that were still in her frontal lobe have completely ceased functioning."

"That's – that's good to hear," Maxie said, sitting down in the chair next to May's bed - he wasn't sure his legs were capable of supporting him at this point. Strickland nodded.

"Yes, it means nothing is holding her back any longer. Now comes the hard part, however," he said. On cue one of the nurses came forward with a syringe and stood ready next to the IV drip. "I want to bring her out of sedation so I can try to preform an evaluation on her mental state. From what I've gathered from the reports Marcus has sent me this is going to be the most dangerous part. She'll be confused and likely very upset – this is when we'll see her reacting on instinct rather than reason. I don't think I have to tell you how unsafe this will be."

Maxie nodded his agreement, moving to stand next to the bed and the doctor gave the signal. The nurse deftly injected the syringe into the IV drip and then moved to stand back against the wall. After a few moments the steady beep of her heart monitor sped up ever so slightly and her eyes fluttered open. For one brief, heart-stopping moment everything went still – and then he saw it. The tightening of her muscles was nearly imperceptible, but he'd been watching for it this time and quickly placed his hands on her shoulders just as she started lifting off of the bed, baring her teeth. She was strong, Christ was she strong, but he had sheer height and weight on his side and managed to pin her down. May struggled and lifted her hands as high as she could, burying her nails into his flesh through his shirt and raking them down his ribcage. He winced, but held firm. "May, calm down it's me! It's Maxie!" he said firmly, bringing his face close to hers. "You're safe May, you're safe. I'm here, just like I promised."

She was quick to calm down this time as she stopped clawing at him and drew her hands in close to her chest. She took one look around and started to whimper. He moved his grip from her shoulders and gently cupped her face, ensuring that she looked at him and only him. "Stay with me, okay? No one is going to hurt you, we're all here to help."

She was crying by the time he'd finished speaking, but she gave him a small nod nonetheless. He smiled and brushed away her tears before glancing over his shoulder at the doctor and nodding. Strickland quietly dismissed the nurses and moved to stand on the other side of May's bed. "Hello Miss Maple, my name is Bill Strickland. I'm a doctor here at the hospital," he said with a smile, keeping his voice low and soft. "If you don't mind I'd like to talk to you for a little while, ask a few questions – do you think you could do that for me?"

There was a long stretch of silence before May gave him the slightest of nods. Strickland smiled. "Thank you, now – would you mind if it were just you and me? I want to make sure everything we talk about is kept private, for your sake okay?"

May went board-stiff and her panic was palpable as she gripped Maxie's arm like a lifeline. What little colour she had drained from her face and she shook her head violently. Maxie quickly slipped his arm around her shoulders and took her hand in his. "Easy, May – easy. Dr. Strickland just wants to help you okay?"

"I – I don't want you to leave," she whispered so quietly he almost didn't hear. "I n-need you."

"May, I know you're scared – I am too, but right now Dr. Strickland needs to speak to you about what's happened," Maxie replied gently, though it hurt him deeply – he wasn't exactly keen on the idea of being away from her either. "He knows what he's talking about and he can help you. I'll be right outside that door, look you can see me through the window I'll be there the whole time. If you feel like you can't handle any more I'll be right in. Can you do this? For me?"

She was shaking in his arms and he could see that her eyes were glassy with unshed tears, but she looked at him and nodded. He pulled her into a tight embrace and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Good girl, I'll be right outside. It's going to be okay, you'll see."

He reluctantly let her go and allowed Strickland to pull up a chair near the bedside as he made his way out of the room. The door had barely closed before he had turned around and was looking through the small window set in it. May was white as a sheet and her shoulders were shaking, but she was talking at least, often glancing at the window to ensure he was still there. He could only imagine what kind of horrors she was recounting in there. Dragging a hand through his hair and swore under his breath.

"How is she?"

Maxie turned sharply on his heel to see Steven Stone walking up the hall towards him. Hoenn's Champion looked beleaguered and weary, with dark circles under his eyes and a few strands of white threading through his slate grey hair. He offered Maxie a tired smile, though he refrained from returning it. "Not good. How much do you know?"

"Not a lot," Steven admitted sheepishly, "as soon as Marcus said there'd been a development and May was in hospital I was already half-way out the door. What happened?"

"She was doing so well," Maxie sighed, as much as he disliked Steven at times he could respect that the younger man cared deeply about May and really had her best interests at heart. "Perhaps too well. Villiard warned me something like this could happen, but I never thought it would be this bad. From what I've gathered the last of the implants in her frontal lobe failed, rather catastrophically and she was hit with the full range of her emotions. She had to remember everything about her ordeal and all the negative emotions attached to them all at once with no warning. It's hit her very hard."

"I can imagine. What's going on now?"

"She's talking with one of Villiard's colleagues – the head of psychiatry here, Dr. Strickland. He wanted to evaluate her mental state."

"That's brutal," Steven said, shaking his head sadly. "What on earth did she ever do to deserve this?"

"Bad things happen to good people."

"It still hardly seems fair."

"I know," Maxie admitted. The two men lapsed into a tense, uneasy silence, leaning against opposite walls. Steven was the first to break it with a huffed laugh.

"That's the fourth time you've looked in there in about thirty seconds," he observed with a wry smile. Maxie raised an eyebrow and Steven smiled, though he was looking beyond him and through the window into the room beyond. "You really care about her, don't you."

"...Yes."

"Do you love her?"

Maxie glanced into the room and watched May. She'd drawn her knees up to her chest, like she'd done so many times when she'd been upset before, but she was still talking through her tears – despite it all, she still found the courage to speak. She glanced at him and for a brief moment their eyes locked. He thought about they very first time they'd met all those years ago, when she'd been a stubborn child and burned his empire to the ground. He thought about the night they'd met in Lilycove ten years later when she'd fearlessly offered herself as collateral, the way she'd challenged him in shows of verbal fencing and through the raw power of her pokémon. He thought about how she'd come to his room the night he'd killed a man right before her eyes, not to judge him, but for comfort and support of all things. He thought about their capture, how despite the suffering she was going through that she'd wanted to know if he was alright. He thought about the last few months of bliss, living with her at his side. He thought about the way she smiled at him, the way she held him, and the way she trusted him implicitly.

"Yes."

He loved everything about May Maple. He loved the way those azure eyes would soften in the gentlest of smiles and then blaze with righteous fury, he loved the way she would raise her chin in a gesture of challenge, he loved the way she laughed, he loved the quick bite of her fearless wit, he loved her endless compassion...He loved her, wholly, completely, absolutely, and unconditionally – he loved her.

Steven smiled and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I'll get us some coffee."

"Thanks."

* * *

><p>Island Wolf: phew, okay that's finally done. Finally got the big admission from Maxie, woohoo! I feel it noteworthy to mention and remind readers that my characterization of Maxie is based off of the original Ruby. I wrote the original version of this fic years ago, when Redorbshipping was even more unpopular than it is now - I was one of the first few to attempt anything more than a drabble (that I know of) here on ff, so I was a wee bit of a pioneer. I can see why people might be thrown off by how I write Maxie due to this fact; Redorbshipping has really taken off thanks to the excellent people on Tumblr, but almost all of it features the post-remake versions of Maxie and May. Now, don't get me wrong - I adore the Omega version of him, the idea of his primary identity being that of an intellectual and a scientist is nothing less than spectacular and people have written him incredibly well (holla to Teammaxie on Tumblr yo) in that sense. I have yet to fully immerse myself in the new games and as such I'm not yet comfortable writing in the mindset of this latest incarnation of Maxie. So for the time being I will stay old school with RSE ;P<p>

And for anyone worrying that Maxie's been a bit too soft the last few chapters don't worry, you'll see his badass side again soon!

P.S. Who wants a Christmas one-shot? :3


	10. La vie en Rose

Island Wolf: Sorry this update was a little on the slow side, I was busy with holiday celebrations and this is a pivotal chapter in terms of Maxie and May's relationship so I wanted to try and make it half-decent (and there were some struggles, whooo boy). There's not a heck of a lot of action, but there's some nice emotional content which was a fun challenge to write and I hope you all enjoy it.

As always thanks to everyone who reviewed, faved and followed this fic, I feel so overjoyed every time I get that little email notification and I grin like an idiot for at least an hour after the fact. I've gotten so much positive feedback and such lovely comments (much better than the Tumblr scene anyway, the amount of negativity on the shipping tag lately has made me glad I never posted anything there. I salute the brave souls who do, you people are amazing and you have a level of courage and fortitude that I do not) so thanks so much for the support, and I hope you keep enjoying the story.

Chapter title is based on the song of the same name originally sung by Edith Piaf ( a lovely cover of it was also featured on How I met your Mother), absolutely beautiful I highly recommend it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot as per usual

* * *

><p>"Mr. Asher, a word if I may?"<p>

Maxie was on his feet before Dr. Strickland had even finished his sentence, nearly upsetting the cup of cold coffee across his lap as he did so. The doctor's session with May had had taken up the better part of an hour and he was at his wit's end trying to keep himself composed. Surprisingly enough it'd been Steven who'd been the calm one, offering quiet words of comfort when Maxie threatened to barge into the room – oh how the mighty had fallen.

He followed the doctor to a more secluded corner of the hallway, shifting his weight from left to right impatiently. "So how is she?"

"Severely traumatized as predicted," the doctor sighed softly. "She recalls everything with an upsetting degree of clarity. The main issue is the guilt factor – it's unfortunate, but victims of such violent and violating crimes often place a great deal of the blame on themselves, which seems to be the case with Miss Maple. She puts herself at the pinnacle of fault and therein lies our issue."

"What do you suggest then, in terms of treatment?" Maxie asked, fighting back the bile in his throat. It tore him apart inside to think that May was blaming herself for everything that had happened and what it must be doing to her. He thought back on the state he'd found her in, how savagely broken she'd been – he _never_ wanted to see that again so long as he lived.

"Ordinarily I'd suggest intensive one on one therapy sessions with my department, but this case is unique," Strickland replied, frowning slightly. "This level of trauma, the degree in which her mental state has been manipulated and changed over the past few months – it's quite unlike anything I've ever had to deal with. That said she's obviously created a very strong bond with you so I think our wisest course of action would be to leave her in your care."

"I'm sorry Doctor, but I have no knowledge where psychology is concerned, I hardly think I'm qualified -"

"To be blunt Mr. Asher, I think parting Miss Maple from you would be utterly disastrous. You seem to be the only foothold the girl has left in keeping grounded to reality. If she is denied your presence I fear she will face a complete psychotic break."

"Then what are you proposing exactly?"

"As I said, I want to keep her in your care," Strickland replied. "Keep to your current routine – the main goal is to make her realize that everything that's happened to her, anything she'd done under Ardos' influence – absolutely none of it was her fault and no blame rests on her shoulders. Make her realize that she is still worthy of being loved and cared for and that she is far from the monster she believes herself to be."

Maxie inhaled deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to ward off the headache building behind his eyes. "My estate is fairly remote, wouldn't it be better to socialize her?"

"Not in these early stages, keeping her contact limited to you I think would be our safest bet – she already trusts you and exposure to other people would cause more stress than anything else."

"Alright, would it be agreeable if I visited her now?"

"By all means. I'd like to keep her overnight for observation, but come the morning I'll have her discharged into your care," he said with a nod. "Now, it has been brought to my attention that her cousin will be visiting sometime tonight – David I believe, and he is bringing some of the pokémon he has managed to revert back to their normal states. I would prefer you kept the number of visitors limited, no more than one at a time unless she's comfortable with more and always with your presence. If that is all, I shan't keep you any longer, if you have need for me flag down one of the nurses."

He nodded and immediately made his way back down the hall towards May's room. Steven was on his feet by the time he arrived, his steel coloured gaze questioning and concerned. Maxie dragged a hand through his hair, grimacing when he felt how greasy it'd become. "It's – a difficult situation," he sighed. "The doctor wants to send her back to my care."

"...I can't say I'm terribly happy about sending her away again, but you've brought her back this far and I can't argue with that," Steven finally admitted after an awkward beat of silence. "Can we see her yet?"

"I'll go in first and let you know when she's calm enough for another visitor, is that satisfactory?"

"Yes, I'll be waiting by the door. David said he was on his way, I'll fill him in if he gets here beforehand."

Maxie nodded his appreciation before slipping into May's room. Her head shot up from her knees as soon as he touched the door, watching him with her hawk-sharp gaze. She'd been crying again, that much was obvious, the startling blue of her eyes standing out against the redness and she seemed on the verge of tears again when she saw him. "M-Maxie?"

"Hello," he offered, feeling quite out of his depth as he closed the door behind him. She was fisting the thin blankets covering her lap, knotting them nervously until they threatened to fray. He took a seat in the chair next to her bedside and immediately she dropped her gaze to her knees, as if suddenly afraid to look him in the eye. He hesitated for a moment before taking one of her hands in his. "May, look at me please."

She spared him a brief sidelong glance and flinched, averting her gaze again. "I'm sorry."

"For what? May, you have nothing to be sorry for," he said, keeping his voice as gentle as he could as he brought his other hand up to cup her face. He tried to coax her into looking at him, but she squeezed her eyes tightly shut and curled her hands into fists again. "May please, why won't you look at me?"

"Why are you here?" she retorted hoarsely. "I'm a monster..."

"No, you're not!" he said, perhaps more harshly than he'd intended because her eyes opened and she looked at him in shocked silence. He turned her surprise to his advantage and leaned forward until their foreheads were almost touching. When he spoke again he made sure to keep his voice low and soft. "Don't ever say that about yourself. May, what happened to you was not your fault – none of this is your fault."

"B-But I should've tried harder – I could have -"

"No, no there's nothing you could have done. If you want to lay blame on someone, blame Ardos...or blame me for not protecting you."

She fell silent at that, closing her eyes again but he could feel her shaking and her breaths came out in short little sobs. He wrapped his arms around her as best he could. "It's alright, everything will be okay."

"...Everything I've done...for the first time – I'm glad mom and dad aren't here, if they knew...who could love me now..."

Those words broke his heart. For as long as he'd known her he'd always associated May Maple with levels of kindness and compassion that seemed greater than humanly possible. He'd often mocked her in the past for her reliance on friends and the childish way in which she professed to love without judgement. Now that girl who stood out so vibrantly in his memories was a pale ghost, stripped down to her bones and hollowed. He drew back and looked her in the eye.

"I could."

For a moment the world went still and a deafening silence settled so heavily on the room that it threatened to smother him until she inhaled sharply and time lurched back into motion. "W-What?"

"I could love you...I do love you," he said, though his throat was so tight it made speaking difficult. "We all do May, look – Steven is right there waiting to see you. You still have friends."

"Steven?" she breathed, though far from looking pleased an expression of horror slowly crept across her pale face. "Oh god, when he finds out -"

"He already knows everything May, and he doesn't care. David is on his way to see you too. Don't you understand? You're still loved by everyone."

He highly doubted she believed him, but she stopped crying at least and went back to knotting the sheets between her fingers. Her knees were drawn up again and her shoulders were hunched up close to her neck – she was withdrawing again, putting herself into self-defensive posture to shut the world out as much as possible. He'd seen it all before, and used the same tricks himself when he'd been a green cadet and heard shell-fire for the first time. That said he was quite surprised when she peeked out at him from behind her cage of limbs. "What's going to happen now...are – are they going to take me away?"

"No – not unless you want to," he said gently. "Dr. Strickland said you can be discharged from here first thing tomorrow morning if you want to come home with me again."

"I – I can stay with you?"

"If you want to."

A small, trembling hand reached out to touch his. Slowly, she lowered her knees and cautiously raised her head. "I would like that," she said softly and then hesitantly interlaced her fingers with his. "I was scared, so scared that you were going to leave..."

Maxie gave her hand a squeeze and smiled. "I'll stay with you for as long as you want me."

That appeared to comfort her and she reclined back on the bed, blinking drowsily. He hummed absentmindedly, rubbing the pad of his thumb against the side of her hand. She relaxed slowly with the small, repetitive motion and drifted off into a doze. The calmness was unsettling when he knew there was a hellstorm brewing in the darkest corners of her mind. No doubt it would follow her into her dreamscape, but for now he would try to let her rest.

He looked towards the door and saw Steven watching through the small window, giving the younger man a nod. Quietly as he could, he cracked the door open and peeked his head in around the corner. "How is she?" he asked softly.

"It's going to be a long time before she's alright again, but I think everything will be fine in time," Maxie replied quietly. "I'd let her rest for now, I let her know you were here to see her. I think it would be alright for you to visit when she wakes."

"Alright. I'm going to see if David has arrived yet, but then I'll be back waiting by the door."

The door shut and Maxie looked back down at May's sleeping face. For now she was still serene in her tranquil slumber and he could only hope for her sake, that Morpheus would remain so kind. He kept rubbing his thumb along her hand. He'd almost let things slip there, when he said he loved her. Yes, he'd managed to salvage the situation by quickly weaving Steven's name into the conversation, but it'd been a close thing. Part of him wanted so badly to tell her the truth of it, but that nagging logical part of his brain told him to hold back – she had gone through so much, she wasn't in her right mind and it would be unfair to unload such weighty information on her already overburdened shoulders. Still, she was deep asleep...

"Do you know how unfair this is?" he sighed, though he felt himself smiling ruefully. "I was perfectly content in forgetting that I'd ever had a heart before you came along. You, with all your lovely fire and steel. You had a wounded heart behind that armour of yours yet you still found it in yourself to treat me with compassion. I thought the world had finally turned you hard when I saw you in Lilycove, that your rose-coloured glasses had been ripped away, but I was wrong. You've seen the world for what it is, through unclouded eyes, but you've chosen to keep your kindness. Foolish girl, looking at me like I'm a decent man...trusting me...gods be damned for allowing you to walk back into my life May Maple, and damn me too for falling in love with you."

Leaning in close, he brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face. For a moment her body tensed and he feared that he'd awoken her, but then she relaxed with a gentle sigh and turned her face to nuzzle his palm. "Don't go leaving me now, May. Not after you've become so dear to me."

* * *

><p>"I'll stay with you for as long as you want me."<p>

Those softly uttered words carried her into sleep's heavy embrace. The world she drifted away to was dark and warm, but she felt like she was drowning. Cloying shadows slid their tendrils across her body, covering her mouth and nose with their relentless grip until she was dizzy was lack of air. The voices had returned with fervent maliciousness, hissing and snarling in her ears as the coils turned into claws and started rending flesh from bone. She wanted to scream, but her voice had been stolen away again and her vocal chords refused to work. She was trapped in the deep silence, slowly and savagely being torn apart bit by bit as the voices lashed her with barbarous tongues.

_Bow your head and weather the storm._

Suddenly she was free from the claws and the voices retreated with the darkness that was flung back like a veil by her father's voice. She was sitting on one of the benches that stood in the garden that backed the Petalburg gym. Norman Maple sat next to her, smiling. "Hello sweetheart."

"Dad," she croaked. Her voice had returned though she could barely speak through the tears. The sun was so warm on her face and she could smell the flowers, all in the full bloom of midsummer, drifting on a warm western breeze that brought with it the keen edge of brine from the seashore just past the edge of town. "Dad, I'm so scared. I – I wish you and mom were here...even though I know you'd be so ashamed at what I've done..."

"Dear, look at me," her father said and forced her to look up at him. His eyes were such a dark shade of blue that they were almost black, but they held such an unbelievable amount of warmth that for a brief moment she felt like a little girl again, receiving comfort from her father after she'd skinned her knees and been teased by the boys. "May, your mother and I could never be ashamed of you. You have done nothing wrong my dear girl."

"I miss you Dad, so much," she sniffed as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I don't know what to do, I don't know how to handle this alone."

"Forgive me dear, but last I checked you weren't in this alone."

"W-What?"

Norman smiled knowingly. "Think about it sweetheart. Now, I have to go – just remember I will always be proud of you and you are _not_ alone in this."

The darkness was creeping closer, blotting out the light of the sun and the sweet smell of the flowers turned sour. Whispers gnawed at her ears, venomous and cruel. "Dad – please no, don't leave me!"

"Bow your head and weather the storm."

The darkness came screaming, pulling her back with cruel claws. All the lights went out and she was left floating in the crushing black abyss as the voices tried to tear apart every last fibre of her mind. "Just end it," she moaned to the shadows that laughed and devoured her with long, hungry teeth. "I can't take this anymore."

"_Don't go leaving me now, May. Now after you've become so dear to me."_

The shadows hissed and spat as they were driven back and the voices were forced into muffled whispers and then into silence. The darkness melted away and she stood at the end of a long, snow covered drive that ran up to meet a rustic two-storey house. The winter wind nipped at her flesh, urging her forward until she reached the door. It opened of its own accord, bathing her in a breath of warmth and woodsmoke. She stepped over the threshold and moved towards a living room she knew was there. A man was sitting in an armchair next to a blazing hearth, book in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. His hair was a vibrant shade of red that reminded her of the fire burning next to him and his eyes were the darkest shade of brown she'd ever seen, but they regarded her with warm fondness over the rims of his glasses.

With one last shriek and a promise of their return the shadows fled, but for the moment she didn't care. The man had set down his book and cup, and had risen. He crossed the room and wrapped her up in his arms. She inhaled deeply; he smelled like woodsmoke and pine resin, like hay and the deepest glens of the winter woods. _Safety_. _Home_.

"Maxie," she breathed and he smiled at her, placing a kiss on her forehead. Somewhere music was playing, a slow, sweet tune from a bygone era. She'd heard this song before. He was humming along softly, one arm curled tightly around her waist and a hand on the nape of her neck. May buried her face into his chest and cried. "Please, please don't leave me alone. Don't let them take me."

"I won't let anything happen to you, May. I'll be here for as long as you want me."

* * *

><p>Harsh fluorescent lighting replaced the gentle glow of the firelight and the smell of disinfectant overpowered the lingering scent of woodsmoke, but when she took the time to look around she was comforted by the fact that Maxie was still sitting next to her.<p>

"Are you alright? You looked like you were having a bad dream."

"I was," she admitted softly. The shadows were creeping again and the voices were fleeting around the edges of her mind, but they were quieter than before. She suddenly noticed that he was still holding her hand and despite herself she started to -

"May Maple, are you giving me a smile?"

His tone was teasing and it made the corners of her mouth twitch upwards ever so slightly more. "How are you feeling?"

"I – don't know," she replied softly, lowering her gaze to her lap. She felt him squeeze her hand. "I just – I don't know how to handle this Maxie. I don't know what to do, how to feel. It's so hard. I'm scared."

"I know," he sighed and brought their intertwined hands up so that he could press his lips against the back of hers. "But I'm going to help as best I can."

For the first time in months she felt her cheeks turn red and was slightly mortified at her sudden lack of control over such simple physiological reactions. She heard him laugh softly and felt her face burn all the brighter until she could no longer look him in the eye. "May, I'm sorry – I didn't mean to laugh."

"It's fine," she said, finally looking at him again when she felt the blush recede. "I'm – I'm just not used to this."

"You've never looked more lovely."

She looked at him sharply and it was his turn to look embarrassed – clearly that softly whispered observation had meant to be an internalized thought. He was doing a stunning impression of a Deerling in the headlights and she could practically hear the wheels of his mind turning as he tried to figure out something to explain himself. It was strange to see him so flustered...it was rather endearing to be honest. She looked down at her lap and twisted the hem of the blanket between her thumb and forefinger. It was silly, a slip of the tongue – so why did it cause warmth to pool in her stomach and make her heart flutter just a little bit? She was damaged goods, his comment made no sense. The voices hissed in the back of her mind, but the sound of his voice chased them away.

"I – I –"

"You think I'm lovely...after everything..."

A pregnant silence settled over the room, broken only by the steady beep of the heart monitor. His embarrassment was eclipsed by a deeply pensive look. "May," he said and her heart leapt into her throat, "of course I do. You _are_ lovely. You've a beautiful mind, a wonderful heart and – forgive me if I seem too forward, but..."

He smiled and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "You're quite easy on the eyes, I assure you."

She wanted to laugh, she wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, but she settled for giving him a watery smile. "Who are you and what have you done with Maximilian Asher?"

Maxie chuckled and leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. "I had the good fortune to be stuck with a rather remarkable roommate for the past few months you see..."

There it was again, he'd brushed off the more serious implication with a humorous retort. Perhaps it was for the best, she mused. The shadows were starting to dance again, threatening to pull her into a faery reel that wouldn't end until she did. He was holding her hand again and the shadows skittered back into the corners, lurking still. "Do you, perhaps feel up to receiving visitors?"

"I – for a little while perhaps."

"Alright, one moment."

He gave her hand one last squeeze before rising and walking to the door. He opened it just a crack and spoke to whomever was standing outside. The door was pulled open fully and Steven Stone stepped over the threshold. There were a lot of things she expected to see in his steel coloured eyes, but relief was not one of them. "Hello May."

"Steven," she said hoarsely. "I – I –"

"May, it's okay," he said, cutting her off gently. "I'm just glad you're back. We all are."

"I am too," she answered softly. Steven smiled and sat down in the chair on the other side of her bed, acknowledging Maxie with a brief nod. "Thank you, for coming to visit."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, you know that," he said. "I know we've had our problems, but I'm your friend May, I'll always be there when you need me."

"Steven...you don't know how much that means to me," she sniffed and found herself reaching Maxie's hand again, something to keep her grounded before she was swept away in the raging river of emotions that ran free now that the dam had burst. Steven noticed the motion, but rather than giving her a look of disapproval he smiled knowingly and she was left feeling confused. "How are thing...progressing, on your end?"

"Slowly," Steven sighed. "David has made some significant headway, but we're far from gaining the upper hand. Still, I'm hopeful. Speaking of David, he's here and he has a surprise for the two of you."

May's heart thudded so hard against her ribs she feared it would burst. David and his sister were the only blood family she had left in the world. As children they'd been so close she thought of the siblings as the younger brother and sister that she never had. God, what must he think of her? And a surprise...that could only be the pokémon he'd managed to rescue. She thought of Gabriel and her eyes started to burn. She'd be hated, reviled by the pokémon she had left...her family...

"May, you have to breathe."

Maxie's voice, low and soothing in her ear jolted her back to reality. She choked down a breath and looked at Steven who'd half risen out of his seat, clearly alarmed by her sudden change in demeanour. "I'm sorry," she said shakily. "I'm okay, really. S-send him in."

"Are you sure? We don't have to do this right now."

"No, David is the only family I've got...he should be here," she said softly. Steven still seemed doubtful, but he rose and went to the door nonetheless. After a moment of speaking to someone she could see he stepped aside and a tall, lanky boy in his late teens – almost a young man really, with striking red hair and emerald eyes that were crinkled in a smile stepped inside.

"May...I think I'm finally taller than you."

The random observation made her grin despite the fact that she knew she was crying. She spread her arms wide and sobbed. "Get over here you dork!"

David grinned and accepted the hug with gusto and for that May was thankful, he wasn't treating her like a freak, he wasn't treating her like she was made of glass – she was still just May. When he finally pulled away she scrubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. "When did you grow up?" she croaked. "Way to make me feel old."

Beside her Maxie attempted to smother his laugh with a cough and failed miserably.

"Yeah, yeah – hey I've got something for the both of you," he said, eyes glinting proudly as he unclipped four pokéballs from his belt, passing two to her and two to Maxie. For the first time since he'd stepped into the room his cheerful expression faltered. "These were the only ones we managed to recover, but they're healthy and fully back to normal. Eldes and I put them on priority."

"Who – who are they."

"Your Blaziken and Manectric," he answered and then looked at Maxie, "and your Mightyena and Camerupt."

May hugged the two capsules close to her chest and felt a pulse of warmth as they twitched in her hands. They knew they were home. She glanced over at Maxie and saw that he was struggling to keep his composure. She almost smiled – behind the front he put up Maxie cared deeply about his pokémon, his Crobat alone was evidence of that. His voice was thick as he thanked David and attached the pokéballs to his belt. "Thank you David, I – I can't repay you for what you've done."

"Sure you can," he said, placing his hands on his hips. "Smile."

And she did.

* * *

><p>When visiting hours finally came to an end Steven and David quietly excused themselves and got ready to leave. The nurse who'd come by to dim the room lights and tell them had also said that Maxie had been given special permission to stay overnight, much to his relief – he'd been dreading the concept of having to leave May by herself in the hospital. That said he'd stepped out into the hall after the younger men after assuring her he'd return shortly.<p>

"I just wanted to thank you both for coming. It meant a lot to her," he said, and turned to look at David specifically. "And thank you for returning our pokémon Mr. Oxford. I am in your debt."

"Call me David, please – and I should be the one thanking you," David said, stretching out a hand. "May's like an older sister to me and you've taken such good care of her. She'd be lost with you Sir and for that you've got my gratitude."

Maxie smiled and shook his hand. He bid them both good evening and returned to May's room. She'd let both of her pokémon out by the time he'd gotten back. She was crying and telling them she was sorry over and over again while they nuzzled her with unbridled affection. Her Manectric, who'd jumped up on her bed at that point, saw him coming and gently pawed at her chest to get her attention. "May is everything alright?"

"Sorry, I'm sorry," she hiccoughed. Rikesh stooped down and brushed his beak against her cheek, crooning softly. "I was telling them what – what happened to – to G-Gabriel – what I did -"

She burst into tears again and her Manectric whined, licking her hand. Maxie moved to her bedside, taking her hand under Rikesh's watchful gaze. "May, that was not your fault! And they know that, look at them. They still love you."

"I don't de-"

"Don't you dare say that you don't deserve it," he growled. "You do, you do deserve their love and you have it whether you like it or not. Your pokémon love you, David and Steven still love you."

_And so do I_

"Maxie," she sniffed, trying valiantly to stem the flow of tears. "What would I do without you."

"Be left in the company of much less handsome companions?"

"Jackass."

"I heard that." he huffed and took up his previous seat at her bedside despite her Blaziken's wary gaze. "Come on, you should try to get some sleep, we've an early rise tomorrow."

"You – you're staying the whole night...right?"

"Yes," he said, smothering a yawn as he leaned back in his chair. "I'm taking you home first thing in the morning."

"Home," he heard her whisper and in the gloom he could see her smile as she settled down next to her Manectric. Rikesh took up residence in the chair Steven had occupied and offered Maxie a curt nod before folding his long, clawed limbs over his feathered chest. He returned it and closed his eyes; his back would no doubt be sore as all hell come the morning, but to stay by her side it was most certainly worth it.

* * *

><p>Morning came far too quickly in Maxie's opinion.<p>

The nurse coming in to check on them had been what awoke him. He blinked against the lights as they were flicked on and sat up, cringing at the cracks and pops that came from his lower back as his spine straightened. He dragged a weary hand over his face, waiting for his mind to catch up to his body as he watched the nurse carefully remove May's IV under the watchful eyes of her pokémon. May hardly seemed aware as she sat up blinking owlishly, her hair a frizzed, dishevelled mess. How could she be so bloody attractive without even trying?

He sighed and smiled to himself. He already knew the answer; she would always look beautiful to him no matter the situation because, damn him, he was thoroughly in love.

The paperwork was filled, May was dressed and her pokémon were returned to their balls for the time being as they got into the truck and started the drive back home. She kept silent the whole time and that bothered him. Yesterday she'd been open with him, at the very least she looked him in the eye, but now her gaze was firmly fixed on the window and the winter forest streaking by outside. When they finally arrived she'd nearly collapsed upon getting out of the truck and he suddenly realized that she hadn't eaten since yesterday morning on top of everything else that'd happened. He lifted her up into his arms despite her protests.

"Maxie, you don't have to -"

"Hush and let me help you," he said with a half-smile as he slid one arm beneath her knees and kept the other around her back, carrying her like a bride. He brought her inside and gently deposited her onto the couch. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"No, no I'm not particularly hungry," she said, shaking her head. "I feel disgusting, I'd love a shower."

"If you don't eat you'll end up fainting first and you know how awkward that'll be," he said, but received only a glare for his dry humour. He relented with a sigh. "I can run you a bath if you'd like."

"That would be lovely, thanks."

_This is a whole different game now_ he realized as he finished filling the tub. She had the full range of her emotions back now and would be much less predictable than she had been the past few months. Why did that excite him? He mused on that question as he dried his hands and went downstairs to fetch her. Well, that was fairly obvious – he wanted to see the girl he'd shared a drink with in his room, who'd bantered with him without batting an eye and gave him a wicked smile for good measure.

He helped her upstairs to the bathroom and turned to leave, but her hand on his arm stopped him. "Please, don't leave."

"May -"

"I – I can't be alone, not yet," she said, shaking her head firmly. "I just can't. Stay, please."

He wasn't prepared for this and he felt his heartbeat quicken. It was highly inappropriate, but the way she was looking at him now – how could he say no. "...Alright," he said quietly and turned around so that she could undress. He heard her clothing hit the floor and gritted his teeth – oh how cruel the fates could be; he loved May a great deal, but gods above he was still just a man. The water splashed softly as she slid into the tub and he heard a sigh that bordered on a moan and nearly choked on his breath. _She's trying to kill me._

"You, ah can turn around now."

_Oh good lord, why?_

He did so, doing his damnedest to keep his gaze averted on the lean and lithe body beneath the water's rippling surface, focusing instead on the bandaged hand she was trying to keep clear of the bathwater. Trying to save himself some discomfort he opted to sit on the floor so he was no longer viewing her at such a precarious angle. He sat with his back resting against the tub and turned his head to face her. Her face was flushed, though whether it was due to embarrassment or the hot water he couldn't tell. He was starting to think it would've been less awkward if she'd feinted in the shower.

"How can you still look at me that way."

That jolted him back to reality. "What?"

"You look at me like I'm still human. I've done so many awful things but you still look at me with those eyes and you smile. How can you do that when I'm a monster?"

"May, I told you once that I was not a good man, that I'd done some very bad things. Do you remember what you told me?" he said. "You said that just because I'd done bad things in the past, didn't mean I was a bad person. That if I was a bad person than so were you. If you're a monster than so am I."

"You're not a monster, you're the furthest thing from that." she said softly.

"Then neither are you."

"...I never knew there was this side of you."

"What do you mean?

"I always thought that maybe – just maybe you weren't completely horrible. I never thought..." she trailed off and the redness on her cheeks deepened. "Maxie, these past few months you've been so kind to me, you've been – I never knew you could be this way, live this kind of life, treated me the way you have, the way you still do. I thought – I thought you hated me. What changed?"

He suddenly realized that she was well aware of what had transpired during her time in recovery with him, only now those memories would be coloured be her newly regained emotions. Of course his conduct would've seemed strange. He leaned his head back on the lip of the tub and inhaled deeply.

"You," he admitted softly after a long pause. "You did. It all started on that day I tried to drive you to Lilycove. You watched me gun a man down and you came to me that night, but you didn't criticize me, you didn't judge...you came to me for comfort of all things. You shared a goddamn drink with me and smiled even though you _knew_ I'd killed someone and that he hadn't been the first. You looked at me, spoke to me like I was still a decent man. That bothered me, you have no idea how much that bothered me. When we were caught and they started _experimenting_ on you, you asked me if I was alright for god's sake. When Ardos took you, I – I realized I had never hated you, I could never hate you. How could I when you looked at me that way, without judgement or revulsion. I admired you, I respected you. You showed me something I hadn't been given in years...compassion, and when I let them take you away I hated myself for allowing them to hurt you, to turn you into something cold and cruel like I was. I swore to myself that I would do whatever it took to make things right again, I would make things right because I owed you that much. I was supposed to teach you how to be human again, but I think I learned more from you about humanity than you ever did from me. You preformed a miracle May – you brought a man back from the dead. This man I am now, this man you've allowed me to become; I thought he died so long ago out on the ice, but you proved me wrong and I have never been so happy to be wrong. You – I _love_ you May."

It was hard to breath by the time he'd finished speaking and it was difficult to swallow around the lump that had formed in his throat. He closed his eyes as a heavy silence fell and felt himself grow sick with fear when he heard the water suddenly ripple behind him. He felt her bandaged hand settle gently against his cheek, forcing him to face her and he opened his eyes.

She'd moved to the side of the tub, as close to him as she could get. The sunlight slanting in through the blinds of the window splintered into a thousand pieces and were reflected in the bright blue of her eyes. Her hand moved to settle on the back of his neck. "You love me," she whispered softly. "You – love me?"

"Yes," he breathed. "You're everything to me May. I don't know where I would be without you, I don't want to know. What I do know, is that I love you with every fibre of my being. I love you."

"Maxie," she murmured and he could see that her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. You speak of my compassion – you've shown me kindness I can never hope to repay. You saved me Maxie, you saved me. By being this wonderful, kindhearted, _amazing_ man...you saved me and I love you for that."

"May -"

"I'm not done," she said, her voice thick. She was close now, oh so close. "I was scared of you that day when you shot that man. I don't know why I came to you, but I'm so glad I did. Despite the way I'd reacted, despite the way I treated you, you still let me in and you helped me. When we were taken captive you looked after me as best as you possibly could and when we were rescued you took it upon yourself to try and bring me back, not because you felt obligated – you did it because you're a good man. After everything that has happened you don't look at me with pity, you still smile and that's why I love you."

Maxie hardly dared to breathe when she leaned in. Their noses were touching and he could feel the warmth of her breath on his face. "May, please I -"

She silenced him with a kiss.

It was soft, just the press of her lips against his, but it was ecstasy in its simplicity. When he brought a hand up to cup her cheek she grew bolder and brought her other hand out of the water to pull him closer. He ran his tongue along her lower lip, begging for entrance and she granted it willingly. She moaned softly when his tongue met hers, pressing against the slick muscle so delightfully. He was on his knees now and she rose out of the water to meet him as he kissed her deeply until they had to part for air. Her eyes were dark and hooded and she was breathing heavily. He peppered kisses along her jaw line and down to her throat, nipping lightly at the tender flesh there and smiling against her skin when he heard her moan again, louder than before. He continued his journey south, eagerly exploring her damp skin. He kissed the hollow of her collar bone and the wet valley between her breasts before moving to flick his tongue across her left nipple. She let out a keening whine and gripped his shoulders tightly. She nearly went limp in his arms and swore violently under her breath when he enveloped it with his mouth, repeatedly running his tongue over the sensitive peak. "M-Maxie, pl-please wait – wait."

He drew back and cursed himself when he realized that she was shaking. _You fucking idiot, after all Ardos has done and you paw at her like a dog the first chance you get. _"May, I'm so sorry I -"

"No – no, it's alright, you didn't do anything wrong," she said shakily and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into an embrace. "I'm just – not ready. Oh shit, sorry I'm getting you soaked!"

"Don't worry about it, I need to take a shower anyway," _a bloody cold one at that_. "Why don't you finish up and once I'm done I'll make us breakfast?"

"That sounds great," she said, sinking back into the water. "I'm sorry about all this."

"Don't be," he sighed, and sat back down on the floor next to the tub. He smiled and tapped a finger against her nose. "I love you May."

She reclined back into the water and smiled shyly. "I – like it when you say that."

"Good," Maxie grinned. "Because I intend to say it everyday."

* * *

><p>Island Wolf: Oh look I managed to work in a smidgen of steamy content, huzzah! I didn't want to take it any further than that (yet) however - this is a bit of a slow burn after all. That and you have to take into account that May was sexually assaulted by Ardos, that trauma isn't going to go away over night. She's starting to come around a bit by the end of this chapter because the initial shock has worn off, but obviously that too, is going to take some time to heal and there will always be some lasting effects of course. Since I won't be updating for the rest of 2014 I'll just say this now, Happy New Year everybody!<p> 


	11. Sleeping giants

Island Wolf: Gah, I am so sorry this chapter took so long! I started my work term at the beginning of this month and I have been absolutely flat out with work. Unfortunately this means that updates from now on will be a little slower, but I will do my absolute best! I really, really hate to admit it, but this chapter is kind of filler, but at least its fluffy filler and there is one important scene with regards to the main plot. There will be no 50 Shades of May in this chapter (dude you know you're famous for that review now :P) but hopefully we'll get there by the end of chapter 12. This chapter is really just about Maxie and May getting closer, lots of fluff and a bit of humour, so ya'll get to enjoy that. Again, I really apologize if this one seems short and isn't up to snuff, I was reallllly struggling with it - it's one of those situations where you don't want to write it but you have to sort of thing to keep the progression going *le sigh*Also, this chapter is going to be completely from May's point of view, I need to get the swing of writing her POV again and this seemed like a good point to do that.

As always thanks to everyone who reviewed, faved and followed this story you're all so great *hugs* and thanks to everyone on Tumblr who has made mention of this fic, I've nearly dropped my laptop several times from sheer delight and having to fan myself to keep calm haha.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot!

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><p>May dragged her hand along the windowsill, marvelling at the feeling of painted wood beneath her fingers. For so long she'd lived in a pallid grey haze, looking at the world through a cage of frosted glass and now this house was a myriad of colour and sensation. Months of routine felt completely new, bright and fresh like the snap of mint – her eyes were clear at last.<p>

Everything captivated her; the warmth of the tea through the ceramic of her cup, the suddenly poignant taste of food, the smells and sounds of the wood burning in the hearth behind her. Maxie had told her that she'd brought a man back from the dead...he failed to realize that he'd done the same for her. She was alive again in a way she never thought possible. The shadows were still there, lurking and hovering in darkened corners with gnashing teeth and venomous tongues. They would never fully go away, she knew that and it was despairing at times – but then he would step into the room and his voice would chase them away. She could almost forget when he smiled at her.

She felt her face grow warm and she held her cup of Earl Grey close to her chest. He was the best part of coming back into the waking world. Everything he'd done for her, everything he continued to do meant more than it ever had before. This man entranced her with everything he did and she loved to watch him, noticing things she hadn't had the capacity to appreciate before. The Maximilian Asher of her early youth had been a hard and caustic individual, whose anger and rage had burned with volcanic ferocity when he stared her down through those impossibly dark eyes. He'd been all jagged edges and hard black basalt as he'd cursed her name and her pious purity. Looking back now she knew better. That man had been hurt, and badly at that, and while his actions may not have been completely justified, she could at least understand.

Moving from the living room to the kitchen, smiling as hardwood transitioned to tile beneath her feet, she gazed out the large window that faced the rear yard. Maxie had resumed the work that had been cut short yesterday, axe in hand and coat discarded. His newly returned Mightyena pawed and sniffed at the freshly split wood, tongue lolling out contentedly as he trotted around the yard enjoying, like her, the thrill of being brought back to life. It was hard to see him, so like Gabriel in looks and temperament. It sent a stab of pain ripping through her chest and she chose instead, to look at the wolf-like creature's master. That soothed the hurt. This man was so unlike the one she'd known years ago – or perhaps she'd simply learned to look deeper than his uniform. His eyes were still dark, but the baleful black that had burned so hotly had been tempered to a warm earthy smoulder that regarded her fondly behind the rims of his glasses. He was still hard and fierce, a soldier to the bone, but there was softness in him too and she'd been so blessed to be privy to the love he was capable of. She took a sip of her tea and smiled against the rim of the cup as he split another log. She didn't know if she'd ever get used to seeing him like this, living so simply in his heavy wools, leather, and tweed – she'd no idea that his background had been so rustic, but she loved every bit of it because it bespoke of a time when he'd been happy, loved by his family and surrounded by peace. Long before he'd been given his uniform and sent away to war.

Smiling still, she turned away from the window and drifted back into the warmth of the living room. She moved to the bookshelves that dominated the larger part of the back wall, dragging her fingers over the spines of the books as she tried to select something to occupy her thoughts for the evening. She paused over one that had caught her eye. Leather bound with no title or identifying marks she set aside her teacup and pulled it free from the shelf. The leather was dry and cracked in several places, but it seemed solid enough and that encouraged her to carefully open the cover to see what its age-yellowed contents held. She gasped softly when her eyes beheld thin, spidery scrawl in black ink captioning black and white photographs from an age long passed.

She was so caught up in the photo album's spell that she failed to hear the front door open.

"What have you got there?"

May swore and turned around sharply to see Maxie pulling off his cap and gloves while his Mightyena trotted over to lay down on the rug in front of the fireplace next to Kella. The Manectric appeared not to mind, though she kept a wary eye open to observe the people in the room. It took only seconds for him to realize what she was holding and an expression of disbelief crossed his face. "Well I'll be damned. I had no idea this was still down here," he said, and then looked at her. "Have you gone through it yet?"

"N-No, I just opened it."

"Well, come on then – at least I can give you a proper narration," he said with playfulness that surprised her as he led her to the couch. She opened the album fully and laid it across their laps while he curled an arm around her waist without missing a beat. She smiled at the sudden warmth and the smell of spruce sap. Their heated encounter this morning had certainly broken down a few barriers and he seemed comfortable with their current situation much to her relief. "Yes, let's see that's my great grandfather there with his wife in front of the old family estate in north Kanto...there he is again with one of his business partners...there are his children - my grandfather is the one in the middle..."

She smiled and listened to him narrate the ages of his family history. Slowly the years passed, she could see it in the changing fashions and the steady occurrence of clearer and coloured photographs. Maxie paused when they came to the wedding photo displaying a man who bore a striking resemblance to him and a lovely woman with raven-dark hair that curled around her shoulders and kind eyes. "Are these your parents?"

"Yes," he said with a fond smile. "That's my father, Richard, and my mother Wilhelmina."

"You look just like your dad," she remarked teasingly, though when they turned the page she looked at him with shock rather than amusement. "Is that you?"

She pointed to a photo of three children, two boys and one girl who seemed to be the eldest. The girl, about five by the looks of it, was a spitting image of Wilhelmina Asher save for the fact that her hair was in bright auburn ringlets. One of the boys, about three, had coal black hair cropped short, holding the hand of the younger who sat on his sister's lap as he was little more than an infant with his dark eyes and wisps of red hair.

When he nodded she couldn't help but shake her head. "I had no idea you had siblings."

"That's my older brother John and my sister Aileen."

"Where are they now?"

"John passed away a few years after my father did, took sick and never recovered. Mother died not long after that. Aileen still lives in Kanto near what's left of the old family."

"Oh, I – I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, it was a long time ago and Aileen managed to make me an uncle five times over," he replied with a wry grin and turned the page. "Oh dear..."

"Maxie – is that you, in a -"

"Yes May, that is a kilt.

She was trying her damnedest not to laugh, but oh lord it was hard. The pictures depicted a family gathering of some sort where a vast majority of the men were, in fact, fully decked out in kilts, sporrans and prince charlie jackets. Maxie looked about sixteen, if she had to hazard a guess, standing with a group of other young men around his age. Cousins most likely, she decided. She had no idea he'd had such heritage, but it made sense – she _had_ come to notice that when Maxie became particularly upset, or impassioned his voice took an odd lilt, the barest clip of an accent she could not place. One mystery solved. Still, her amusement must have shown because he scowled.

"There's nothing wrong with it. It's tradition!"

"I didn't say a word."

"No, but you were thinking it," he grumbled and quickly turned the page. His hand froze over the photograph he found there. It was a picture of him, not much older than he'd been in the photos on the page before, but now he was in the full khaki wool uniform of the Hoenn Army, his beret bearing a silver seal that depicted the crowned Stantler and braided circle of his regiment. May saw his hands shaking as he wordlessly turned the page – that photograph needed no explanation. The next page drew a huffed laugh, though it nearly turned into a sob by the end. More photos of him in uniform, but he no longer stood alone. He was surrounded by men, boys still really, in the same outfit, all smiles as they posed for the camera. Some were snapshots that had been taken without notice of the subjects; basic training, target practice and men singing in the cramped corners of a small pub with glasses and spirits raised high. "How on earth did these get here?"

He carefully pulled one of the photographs free. It depicted a smiling young man in the same uniform and a Breloom at his side, a satchel slung over its shoulder marked with a red medical cross. He turned it over with trembling hands. She could see that Pte. Philip Boyd was scrawled across the back and May saw a spasm of pain flash across Maxie's face. "What is it?"

"I told you not many of us made it home after the war. These photos are from the lads in my regiment...these must have went unclaimed or unwanted afterwards...my mother must've taken them for safe keeping."

May was struck by the sudden realization the most of the smiling boys she saw in these photos were long dead and that Maxie had come so very close to joining them. How cruel that must've been to wake up to a role call that almost no one answered. "I'm sorry," she whispered, and pressed a kiss to his cheek as he put the photo reverently back into place. "We can stop if you like."

"There's not much left anyway," he said, his voice low and hoarse as he closed the album and laid it on the coffee table. "I'm glad you found this...I really am."

"Then so am I," she said softly. "They were good men. You all were, and you still are."

He pulled her onto his lap and laid his head on her shoulder, nuzzling her neck. She felt him sigh deeply. "How did I manage to earn such love from you May," he murmured against her skin. "How could I possibly deserve it?"

She pressed her lips to his forehead. "Maximilian Asher, how could I not love you? You brought me back, you cared for me...you fought for me."

May kissed him deeply then and when they parted she smiled gently.

"I love that brave soldier boy who smiled in those old photographs, and I love the man that he became. Rough edges and all."

His gruff bark of laughter surprised her as he wrapped his arms around her and laid down on the couch, pulling her down so that she was stretched out on top of him. She laid her head down on his chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart while he trailed his fingers up the thin line of her spine. She'd almost drifted into a doze when she heard him humming and every now and again she would hear a softly sung line or two. He was a fine singer, she decided, his tenor warm and taking on the faint lilt of that far northern country.

"_Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows, fair is the lily of the valley. Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne, but my love is fairer than any..."_

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><p>The pleasantness of the afternoon waned, giving way to a cold evening. Night came dark and swift, and May found that her fear grew with the lengthening shadows.<p>

Like the wonders she'd discovered during the day she found that her vivid senses turned around to bite her with the deepening evening and the cold blackness it brought. She kept glued to Maxie's side until the hour grew late and he was struggling to keep from yawning. He set down his book, blinking drowsily. "Time for bed I think."

This was it, the moment she'd been dreading ever since the sun had started to slip behind the western hills. The concept of being alone for the night was absolutely _terrifying_. The shadows started to draw closer, crawling out of their hiding places, whispering with a rough and savage hunger. Her anxiety was palpable and Maxie turned to her with an expression of concern. "May what's wrong?"

"I – I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"I don't – I _can't_ be alone."

His lips were suddenly against hers, gentle and warm, and she melted into his arms. "You don't have to be," he said gently as he drew back. "You _never_ have to be alone."

She nodded, blinking hard against the tears that had started to sting her eyes. He smiled and helped her up from the couch to lead her upstairs to his bedroom. The realization that she was going to be sharing a bed with him hit her hard and she felt suddenly shy. It wouldn't have been her first time sleeping in the same bed as a man, lord that ship and more had sailed long ago, but this was different. This wasn't a fling or a one-night stand, this was sharing the company of someone she loved so deeply that it scared her at times. Quickly, she changed into her sleepwear while he went to secure the house and slid beneath the covers. Kella planted herself on the floor next to her side of the bed while Maxie's Mightyena had opted to stay downstairs for the night, much to May's relief. He came back all to soon and followed suit, changing into flannel pants and removing his shirt. She gathered her courage and took a moment to study him. He had a lean build to him, not overly muscled but certainly toned and she knew there was a great deal of strength in those long limbs of his. She nearly smiled at the coarse dusting of hairs across his chest and the rusty line that lead down from his naval to disappear beneath the fabric of his trousers. He also had scars, a myriad of them criss-crossing his pale forearms and dotting his torso. She eyed one silvery mark that looked suspiciously like a gunshot wound and idly wondered how many of those scars could be traced back to the battlefield.

"You alright?"

"Yes, sorry!" she squeaked as he climbed into bed next to her. He raised an eyebrow at the sound and she flushed. "Sorry, I'm just uneasy I suppose."

"I do hope that's not on my account," he said as he removed his glasses and put them on the nightstand.

"No, no – okay maybe a bit. It's – complicated," she sighed. Her hands twitched and she had the sudden urge to bury her head beneath the pillow. "When the dark comes, I just – the thoughts, the memories, are always there, hovering and biting and _gnawing_."

Her fingers twitched again and she realized that she'd curled them against her chest like claws. "I can only chase them away for so long...eventually they overtake me."

"Come here," he said softly and curled his arms around her waist to pull her in close. She could feel the heat of him through the thin fabric of her shirt as he drew her in close to his chest and rubbed her back in soothing circles. "I know this isn't easy for you and I'm so proud of you for making it this far. It's okay to be afraid, May."

"I just wish it would all stop," she sniffed, burying her face in his chest and breathing in the scent of him. "When I close my eyes – I can't handle it."

"Do you want to talk about it? About what happened?"

"I – I can't...not yet, but I would eventually if that's okay?"

"Of course love," he said softly and kissed her forehead. May felt her face heat up again at the affectionate term and slowly felt the fear ebb away. "Come on, let's get some sleep. Remember I'm right here if you need me."

With that promise he reached over and turned out the light. For one brief, heart-stopping moment they were swallowed up by the darkness, but then slowly the light of the winter moon trickled in casting everything in a pearly glow. Nestled beneath the covers and sharing Maxie's warmth suddenly the dark didn't seem quite so worrisome. She closed her eyes, listening to his breathing deepen and slow as he drifted off into slumber and then slipped into Morpheus' embrace after him.

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><p>The trees were hushed and silent, standing tall around her armoured in ice and snow that glittered in the pale sun slanting down between their branches. Her feet and arms were bare, yet she felt no cold and could not scent the pines around her nor feel the touch of the sun.<p>

_I'm dreaming_

**Yes you are**

She turned and saw a pair of crimson eyes that shimmered as if lit by some internal flame. The curving, scythe-like horn gleamed in the winter sun, sharp and cruel as the Absol slowly padded towards her, but as it walked its paws made no sound and left no mark on the snow.

_Who are you? Why am I here?_

**Yes, you were expecting the oily darkness and the poisonous tongues, but they are forestalled tonight. I come on behalf of those whom I am bound to. I am a messenger, an oracle, a harbinger.**

The Absol's mouth did not move, but the voice came nonetheless. It was breathy and light, neither male nor female, but was rather an indistinct sigh, like the wind whispering through autumn leaves in her mind. The disaster pokémon stopped just inches away from her and for reasons she couldn't fathom she reached out and brushed her fingers against the gleaming gem set in the creature's forehead. It pulsed with light and sent a wave of heat rushing up her arm.

_On behalf of whom...and why me?_

**Walk and I shall tell you**

They moved into the shadows of the trees, ghosting between frosted trunks of a forest she knew was more than old; it was primeval. May glanced behind her and saw that she left no tracks, and the winter woods behind them were slowly being consumed by a pale grey fog.

**I have followed the Asher family for many years as my kind have done for all of the old families since the elder days. We bring tidings, warn of trouble ahead and herald the doom of those destined to fall. You are now part of that family, your fate is intertwined with one of the last true bearers of that name.**

_Then...what news do you bring? And why come to me and not him?_

The trees came to an abrupt end and the came to the crest of a high ridge that overlooked a river valley and the pale blue silhouette of the mountains far beyond. Without warning the sun disappeared and the world plunged into deep night. There was no moon, but a spread of stars shone brightly against the black backdrop of the night sky. A tremor pulsed through the earth beneath them and the trees behind and in the valley below shivered. A glowing red glyph lit up the valley as it snaked across the frozen ground; it was a shape she knew well with its central circle and three angled lines running out from it.

**This land was threatened by the folly of man before, but you saved it. The Earth bowed before you and pledged its loyalty. You are no mere mortal to be recognized by a god as such. Hoenn stands threatened by the hubris of mankind again. The Sea is in chains, the Earth sleeps in peril, and the Sky...**

They looked up and the night sky was suddenly torn asunder by a bright green aurora that snaked across the blackness like an undulating serpent. The light should have been beautiful, but here it seemed terrible and filled her with dread.

**The Sky is angry**

_I still don't understand, what am I meant to do?_

The Absol looked at her and then down into the valley. She followed its gaze and saw the trees shiver again until they started to twist, shudder and _change_. They took on the shapes of men and woman, standing tall at attention in neat rows and columns. An army. She looked at the Absol disbelievingly.

**The land chose you as its champion and it calls on you again. Your enemy has an army, so too shall one come to you and it is you they shall rally behind. But know this, your war will be terrible and it will not be bloodless.**

Far below soldiers started dropping at random, screaming silently as the fell dead in the snow that was stained red with blood and the crimson light of Groudon's mark.

**You know this well enough for blood has already been spilled, but there is more to be bled. Your hands will not be clean by this story's ending, for that I am sorry. Fate is cruel and spares no one, not even one so kind as you. The nightmares are still snapping at your heels, but you will tame them in time. The war still goes on despite your seclusion here, you cannot hide from it forever.**

_Who...who must die?_

The Absol turned to face her and for a moment it almost looked sad.

**I cannot tell you that.**

_Then what must I do?_

**The war will come to you when it is time. When next I come you must be ready to fly, go to the sleeping titan of the Earth, wake him and your army will follow. For now you must forget all I have told you, rest and heal while you can. I will come to you again, and when I do you will remember. When next we meet the flames of war will be kindled into full flame and you must be ready to fight.**

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><p>For the first time in a long time May woke gently to the light of the sun slanting in through the window. She smiled against the sunlight as its warmth chased away the dreams and for the moment the Absol and its message were forgotten. She rolled over to try and see the clock that hung on the wall and was greeted by a curious pair of ruby eyes.<p>

Maxie's Mightyena was sitting next to her side of the bed where Kella had lain the night before, though the electric-type was nowhere to be seen. The canid cocked his head to one side with a curious expression and put one large paw onto the edge of the bed. May felt her heart pound against her ribcage and bit her lip to cease its trembling. _The nightmares are still snapping at your heels, but you will tame them in time_. Slowly, she moved her hand next to his paw. He sniffed at her fingers for a moment before his tongue flicked out against them and his tail began to wag. "Hello," she said softly. "I don't think we've been properly introduced."

Beside her she felt Maxie stir and he rolled over, curling and arm around her waist and pulling her flush against him so that her back was pressed against his chest. His raised his head slightly to peer blearily over her shoulder before laying back down with a groan. "Duncan, it's too early for this. I'll feed you later."

The Mightyena whined softly and pricked his ears.

"Don't go giving her the puppy-dog eyes you fiend, go on."

The canine huffed and licked his chops before trotting out of the bedroom. "Honestly it's a wonder he's not too fat to walk the way he eats."

"I like him," May said softly and smiled, blinking away the unshed tears. "He reminds me of an old friend."

"Oh May, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let him wander."

"No, no it's alright," she said, nestling back down in the bed against him. She was fully prepared to drift back to sleep when she noticed something slightly...amiss behind her. More specifically pressing against her lower back. It was all she could do to keep from giggling. "Happy to see me? Your pulse is a bit high for someone who just woke up."

_That_ seemed to jolt him to full wakefulness. He spluttered an apology and quickly rolled onto his back. "Sorry, I -," he looked at her and smiled ruefully. "Can you blame me, you're _very_ pretty you know."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," she said as she rolled over to face him. "Now, you take care of your situation, and I'll go make us some tea."

"May -"

"Oh please Maxie, I'm not _that_ young. Give me some credit," she said with a wicked grin and gently patted the telltale bulge in his trousers. He exhaled hard, swearing violently under his breath. She gave him a rub through his trousers and let out a throaty laugh when he closed his eyes and moaned. "I'll take my time. Would you like toast?"

"If you would be so kind," he said dryly as she rose. She grinned and fixed her hair up in a loose bun as she descended the stairs. She immediately headed to the living room, snatching up a quilt to drape over her shoulders before kneeling down to stoke the fire, kindling the embers that had smouldered overnight back into full flame. Satisfied with her healthy little blaze she made her way to the kitchen and filled the kettle before setting it on the stove. She'd just finished buttering a stack of toast when she heard him coming down the stairs. She raised an eyebrow and smirked as she took a sip of her tea. His face was ever so slightly flushed as she passed him a cup of his own.

"Feel better?"

"No thanks to you," he muttered into his tea and was rewarded by a playful swat to his shoulder. "Hey easy, I was kidding."

"Sure," she smirked and bit into a piece of toast. "So what's on the docket for today?"

"The latest weather reports say there's a bad storm blowing down from the north-east at the end of the week, I want to make sure everything on the property is secured and have enough wood to keep us covered for a few days in case we're snow bound."

"Can I help?"

"Of course you can," he said, curling an arm around her blanketed shoulders with a crooked grin. "You can do all the heavy lifting."

"Hn, age finally catching up with you?" she drawled. The gleam in his eye was positively wicked as he set down his tea and curled his arms around her waist. May swallowed thickly as he drew so close that their lips were only a hairsbreadth apart and yet when she leaned in to close the gap he pulled away. Her groan of disappointment quickly turned into a high-pitched whine when he descended on her neck and bit down lightly on the soft skin at the junction of her neck and shoulder. He ran his tongue over the faint mark he'd left there and she felt her knees go weak.

"Don't forget, dear May, that with age comes experience," he whispered huskily in her ear and heat pooled in her lower stomach, slowly descending lower with a relentless pressure that made her hips twitch forward against his pelvis, desperate to create some sort of friction. Almost as soon as his sinful ministrations had started he suddenly pulled back, picking up his mug and slice of toast with a victorious bark of laughter.

"Sonofabitch," May growled in one long exhale as she let out the breath she'd been holding and gripped the edge of the counter to steady herself. For a moment she considered launching herself at him, demanding he finish what he started, but then a horrible chill ran up her spine and pale blue eyes, hard and hungry flashed across her mind. She quickly swallowed the bile that threatened to rise in her throat and forced a smile. "I should've known you'd fight dirty."

"Yes, you should have."

"Jackass."

"I heard that."

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><p>She was hot, sweaty, and dirty – and grinning like a fool.<p>

Maxie's Linoone was on his back, enjoying a belly-rub from her as they sat side by side next to the fully loaded sledge while the badger pokémon's master was lashing down the logs. They'd spent the better part of the day out at another clearing at the far edge of the property felling wood to restock their supply. Even with Linoone's help it was hard, heavy work and she'd been a little intimidated at first, but she'd surprised herself with her own strength. For a moment she'd been horrified at how easily she could lift the hefty pieces of timber – she was a freak, a monster...but then Maxie's Linoone had waddled over and huffed, bobbing his head to show how impressed he was. That had made her smile and she realized that perhaps this strength, these heightened sensed weren't a bad thing...a gift from the enemy perhaps. If they ever came again, she wouldn't be helpless this time. She'd looked over at Maxie who had been knocking the limbs off of a felled birch with an axe and smiled.

She could protect them now.

Winston crooned and wriggled beneath her fingers. Behind her, from up on the top of the wood pile she heard Maxie huff a laugh. "Oh sure, you're an old grump to me half the time, but she comes along and your on your back like a wee cub."

The greying pokémon looked up at his trainer with an unamused expression and snapped his jaws crossly. "Hey now, settle down the both of you," May chided and scratched Winston beneath his chin. The large badger tilted his head back and a contented growl while Maxie rolled his eyes and finished tying the last of the lines. She watched him, leaning her head back against the trunk of a fallen spruce log. He secured the last knot and that done, vaulted over top of the pile and landed in the snow beside her.

"That's the last of it," he said heavily, taking a moment to wipe the sweat from his brow. "We should be good for the next few weeks with this lot."

"Great, back home then?" May said, giggling as Maxie's Linoone climbed onto her lap and reared up, placing his heavy paws on her chest as he pressed his wet nose against her cheek. She could smell the badger's musk as he continued to nuzzle her and laughed. "Oh, look at you! You big softie!"

She heard Maxie make a disgruntled noise beside her and shot him a wicked grin. "Aw, is somebody jealous?" she said, her tone teasing. Winston seemed to pick up on her humour and proceeded to rub his head against May's chest, watching his master with could only be constituted as amusement. May growled and unclipped the Linoone's pokéball from his belt and quickly withdrew the preening badger into the red and white capsule.

"Very."

"Oh, now that wasn't nice."

"Perhaps," he said and kissed her. He removed his gloves and pulled her onto his lap, deftly sliding one hand beneath the heavy sweater she was wearing. May couldn't help but sigh contentedly at the sudden skin-to-skin contact and the soothing heat exploring her torso. Suddenly the world shifted and she was on her back, her legs hooked loosely around his waist as he hovered above her with a fiendish grin. "But I intend to have a bit of fun with you at some point and I'd prefer you didn't smell like Linoone musk."

"You're terrible," she laughed, smacking her hand against his chest lightly. He grinned and leaned down to kiss her again. His lips had barely made contact with hers when she decided to use his off-guard behaviour to her advantage. She dropped her left leg, but kept her right over his hip and used it to throw her weight against him. Once he was knocked off balance she forced them into a roll, effectively reversing their position so that she was on top, straddling his waist. He looked dazed and she pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose. "But I'm worse."

That seemed to draw him back into focus and he laughed, looping his arms loosely around her waist. She watched his smile turn gentle and felt her heart flutter. "I love you."

There it was, that all encompassing warmth that radiated out from her chest every time his said those sacred words. Her heart raced at the look in his eyes, so dark and deep, but filled with unbridled affection. She smiled and took one of his hands in hers, bringing it up so she could kiss the pulse point of his wrist as he cupped her cheek with it.

"I love you too."

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><p>Island Wolf: Well...at least it was fluffy right? Don't hit me *cowers*<p>

Oh note, the song I was referencing is called Red is the Rose, it's an Irish tune and doesn't really fit the Scottish background I've carved out in this chapter, but it's such a sweet tune, I couldn't resist. The High Kings do a great version of it, check it out! Ohhh I've also made a playlist for this fic on 8tracks, it's called No Man's Land and my username is damecorvus (ff really doesn't like me posting links in chapters haha)


	12. Soldiers and sinners

Island Wolf: Hnggg it was so difficult to get this chapter out, I'm sorry it took so long but it is so difficult to find time to write now that I'm basically working full time. I'm much more pleased with the second half of this chapter than the first, but no matter how much tweaking I did I wasn't content so I just bit the bullet and pushed on. Now I will warn you guys that there is mature content (yes there is sexy times ahead - it only took me 12 freaking chapters haha) so brace yourselves for that. Other than that, I hope you all enjoy the chapter :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing as per usual *sigh*

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><p>On Friday morning the storm hit.<p>

It came roaring down from the north-east with winds that howled and slammed into the house so hard that May could feel the floorboards shudder beneath her feet. The world beyond the icy panes of glass became a swirling void of white – she couldn't even make out the shape of the stable through the kitchen window. She heard Maxie stoke the fire in the living room. "Are you sure Maria will be okay out there?"

"Yes, yes I've got the building well battened down, she's got fresh hay and water and I put her blankets on before I locked up. I'll keep checking though."

"Good, I'd hate to think she was uncomfortable."

"She's fine, don't worry your pretty little head," he said as he came up behind her and pressed a chaste kiss to her temple. She smiled and handed him a cup of tea, for which he nodded gratefully. "Come on, it's much nicer in the living room."

He wasn't wrong. The fire had been stoked to a healthy blaze and the room had become a haven of warmth, lit by the yellow glow of kerosene lamps and the flames dancing in the hearth. She smiled at the lack of electric light they usually read by in the evenings and turned to him, arching a slender brow. "Trying to set the mood are we?"

"What can I say," he said, grinning as he eased himself down onto the couch and crossed one long leg over the other. "I'm a romantic."

May huffed into her cup, but sat down and nestled against his side nonetheless. Kella and Duncan seemed to mimic the actions of their trainers and curled up together on the rug in front of the fireplace. She smiled at the sight, if a little sadly. Kella had been very close to her Mightyena and the Manectric had felt the loss of her companion keenly. Duncan it seemed, had taken it upon himself to make her feel welcome throughout the week and while the electric canine had seemed wary at first she'd come to tolerate him after a while and was perhaps, becoming just a little bit fond of the Mightyena. So was she, to be fair. It had been hard, very hard at times, to see him so like Gabriel. It made the shadows rear and hiss in their darkened corners, but slowly her dread ebbed away and besides – she couldn't really resist that cute face looking up at her with those big ruby eyes. It was funny, she remembered him being so ferocious all those years ago, snarling and spitting in the red glow of the magma and now the canine in question was on his back, tongue lolling out and pawing at Kella in a playful manner. The electric-type huffed and batted his muzzle with a heavy paw of her own, but that did not deter the wolf-like pokémon. He rolled back onto his belly and laid his head down on Kella's back. The Manectric sighed and rolled her eyes, but laid her head back down on her paws and let him be.

Below the crackling of the fire May could hear the wind moan and felt another shudder run through the house. She shivered at the sound and nestled herself more securely against her companion. "How long did they say this storm was supposed to last?"

"Two days, going by the report from last evening – one moment," he said, setting his tea down on the coffee table. He rose and crossed the room to switch on the small radio on the mantle, carefully adjusting the tuner until he honed in on a clear signal.

" - winds northeast, blowing 80 kilometres per hour, gusting to 90 except the coast where gusts of 110 can be expected. Snow fall for tonight is expected to exceed 35 to 40 centimetres, continuing on into tomorrow evening where an additional 20 – 25 centimetres will fall in the eastern half of the region. Residents are advised to stay indoors until the storm system has passed. We will be updating the forecast every hour on the hour, stay tuned."

"Nasty," May said, pulling a face as she swallowed the rest of her tea. "We never got this much snow in Littleroot."

"This is fairly typical up here for February," Maxie shrugged. He paused for a moment and listened to the song drifting out from the radio station and barked a laugh. "Ah it's our old favourite."

May grinned at the sweet, dulcet tones of Dick Haymes as he sang the same song she'd heard in Maxie's quarters so long ago at the Magma headquarters when she'd smiled at him over that glass of scotch and glimpsed his softer side for the very first time. He turned to her and extended a hand. "May I have this dance?"

There he was, her gallant soldier. She set down her cup next to his on the table and crossed the room to take his hand. He settled his other hand on her waist while she placed hers on his shoulder and he guided her into a slow, swaying dance. She giggled when he stepped back to turn her into a spin and then pulled her back so she was flush against him and pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. It was amazing, really, to think back on how different things had been when she'd last heard this song. She'd been afraid of him still, if just a little – he'd gunned a man down without flinching and at the time she'd been horrified, but now...now she understood. He'd only been protecting them, protecting her.

She laid her head against his chest and smiled at his heartbeat. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything," she said, smiling softly as she looked up at him. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. I – you amaze me; I never realized what a wonderful man you are and I'm so grateful that I got to see this part of you...that you let me _love_ this part of you."

He was silent for a moment, swaying them in time to the music. When he spoke his voice was quiet, but filled with warmth. "I'm the lucky one May. I thought this part of me had died long ago...but you brought me back. After all I'd put you through, after everything you knew I'd done you still managed to smile at me. How could I not fall in love with you?"

He broke off their waltzing stance and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. "I thought happiness was far beyond me...you proved me wrong."

"I've got a talent for that," she replied with a wicked smirk and he laughed. That made her smile – he had a nice laugh and she wished she could hear it more often. She laid her head against his chest, trying to stifle a yawn and felt him chuckle softly.

"Sleepy again already?"

"I can't help it, bad weather makes me tired," she whined, looping her arms around his waist. "I could never travel in it so I usually just slept the day away at my base or a pokémon centre."

"Well, I wouldn't be opposed to a nap myself."

"You're a saint," she sighed appreciatively as they made their way towards the stairs. The gesture meant a lot – she knew damn well he wasn't tired. Over the past few months she'd come to learn that once Maximilian Asher was up for the day he didn't even broach the idea of sleep until the moon was high in the sky. He knew that she couldn't sleep alone, but he didn't want to wound her pride by asking if she would like his company. It was thoughtful and she appreciated not having to verbalize her debility. Soon, they were both under the covers and she curled up against him with a pleased sigh as the world started to melt away with the sound of his low, steady breathing and the warmth of his presence.

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><p><em>The metal was cold beneath her bare back.<em>

_Leather straps were pulled tight around her ankles, wrists, and across her hips – rough and unyielding against her naked skin. High above a circular span of bright fluorescent lights blinded her and her eyes, no matter how hard she tried would neither move nor blink against the terrible brightness. Somewhere to her left a high, cold voice hissed words she couldn't quite hear and the straps were suddenly undone. Now, here was her chance -_

_But just as she could not avert her gaze from the lights above she couldn't move. Her arms and legs remained motionless and the best she managed to do was twitch her little finger. The voice was laughing now and had moved behind her. For a moment a shadow blotted out the lights and all she could see was a span of darkness barely concealing sharp, leering features and pale eyes the burned with an unholy fire. Cold hands settled on either side of her face and long, spidery fingers traced the outline of her features. She wanted to scream, oh gods why couldn't she scream. The hands slid down to her shoulders and the shadow bent down to whisper cruel promises in her ear._

_The shadow retreated and she was blinded again by the wretched lights. She heard the soft 'snick' of metal sliding against metal and a scalpel, gleaming bright and terrible, slid into her line of vision. It moved down, settling just below her sternal notch. The blade's edge bit like winter's kiss as it touched her bare skin and dragged a long, slow trail up the centre of her chest, parting the flesh there like a hot knife through butter. She had no pain, but she could feel the blood welling up in the valley of parted tissue, filling the gap and spilling out to roll down the sides of her ribcage. The scalpel was raised again, now hovering over her face. Still warm blood dripped onto her cheek as it descended oh so slowly towards her, aiming directly for her left eye, but still she could not turn away. Laughter like wet silk resonated off of metal walls as blade met flesh and everything went red._

_Finally, she could scream._

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><p>"May! May, wake up!"<p>

She was pinned down again, firm pressure holding her flat against whatever she was lying upon and she screamed again, The pressure loosened and was replaced by an encompassing warmth as strong arms were wrapped securely around her beneath the blankets. When she opened her eyes there was no metal, no red, no leering, savage gaze – she was in Maxie's arms, sobbing and wailing as he tried to hold her still, whispering low, soothing words in her ear that weren't entirely English. She turned in his embrace, burying her face in his chest. "Easy, easy, May. It was just a dream _mo gradh_, just a dream."

He started humming softly, a low sweet tune that spoke of rolling green highlands and mountains that loomed high and tall through cloaks of mist, of deep roaring rivers and hushed forest glades that only sprite and spirit knew. Slowly, they chased the jarring images of the nightmare away leaving her drifting out of thought and time until she finally regained the ability to breathe. Maxie brought up a hand to stroke her hair. "Are you alright?"

His normally steady tenor trembled and she knew she'd worried him which made her hold him all the tighter. "I will be," she said hoarsely, scrubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," he said, sliding a finger beneath her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I – I'm afraid..."

"It's okay to be scared," he told her gently and wrapped her securely in his arms again. "But this will help. Keeping it buried will only make it fester like a bad wound...I learned that lesson long ago. Let's start with the dream, what happened?"

"I – I thought it was one of the surgeries," she said, swallowing thickly around the lump forming in her throat. "But it was so, so much worse."

Feeling her stomach roll May quickly rolled over onto her back, trying to take slow, steady breaths through her nose to stop the bile from rising. "I remember everything. From the very first incision, every cut, every implant. Everything he did to me...and everything he made me do. I was awake for all of the procedures, local anaesthesia was all they gave me – I couldn't feel the scalpels and the knives, but I _knew_ what they were doing."

Her voice broke and she felt Maxie's grip around her tighten ever so slightly. She closed her eyes and focused on the warmth and security his embrace brought and used it as an anchor to keep her grounded as she dove back into the turbulent sea of memories. "I don't know if it was part of the experimental procedure or if it was Ardos' idea of a sick joke, but the first implants he gave me were the ones to heighten my senses – to make me _hyperaware_ of everything that was going on. Then he took away my voice...I was strapped to that table over and over and over again and I couldn't even scream when he cut into me," she said, fighting to keep a sob from creeping into her voice. She glanced up at Maxie and saw the rage burning quietly in his dark brown eyes, smouldering with a such a fierce intensity she was almost afraid. Almost. "They started shutting me down after that. It was like being going numb I – I can't really describe it...how it is to not feel anything, to think in 0s and 1s and not be able to _question_ anything I was asked to do. When he told me to undress for him, to touch him I didn't stop to ask why...it was an order, an input, a command that I was programmed to follow...just like the order to kill Gabriel..."

The sobs finally broke through and her voice gave out completely as she closed her eyes against the tears, hot and burning with shame as they slid unbidden down her face. She felt Maxie's hand settle on her cheek, gently turning her to face him. "May, look at me."

When she opened her eyes she found that the anger had disappeared and his coffee coloured eyes held only warmth and love – _love for her_. He brushed away her tears with the pad of his thumb. "None of that was your fault May. You are not to blame for any of it."

"I know...but that doesn't make it any easier to live with the scars."

Maxie sighed deeply and carefully took her hand in his, guiding it beneath the collar of his shirt and to his left shoulder. She felt the skin turn uneven and knew there was scar tissue beneath her fingers – one of the many she knew he sported. "Scars don't define us...they just remind us of where we've been and how far we've come."

For a moment May was certain her heart stopped beating for the simple fact that it couldn't handle just how much she loved this man.

She made a noise that was half-way between a laugh and a sob and pulled him into the fiercest kiss she could muster. He responded in kind and she felt him smile against her lips as he nipped at them teasingly. She parted them willingly, deepening the kiss and running her tongue along his, a pleasurable shiver running through her as he held her more firmly and a growl rumbled deep in his throat. They parted, breathing heavily and she settled a hand on the nape of his neck, tangling her fingers in his fiery locks. His eyes were even darker than usual, his pupils fully dilated and burning with fierce affection.

"May," he murmured. His voice was low and rough, and she knew he was struggling to keep control. For one brief moment she felt a pulse of cold dread deep in her core as pale eyes, cold and hungry flashed unbidden across her mind – but the memory was abruptly chased away when Maxie smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. There was only warmth now and for the first time she was no longer afraid. She kissed him again, gently at first, but quickly picking up the pace and intensity. When she pressed herself against him and hooked a leg over his hip he pulled away, panting. "May I – I don't –"

"Hush," she whispered, placing a finger against his lips to silence him. "It's okay...I want this."

"Are – are you sure, you don't have to -"

"Maxie, I want to. Every time I let _him_ frighten me, every time I let _him_ get in the way I'm letting him victimize me again, and again," she said firmly, pressing her forehead against his. "I love you, and I want to show you that in every way possible."

He was silent for a moment and May was starting to fear that she'd done something wrong until he kissed her tenderly and smiled. "Alright. Remember if you want to stop at any point, just say so. Don't be afraid to say no."

She nodded and he kissed her again, his tongue doing absolutely _sinful_ things to her mouth while his hands slid up beneath her shirt, trailing up and down her spine. Heat started pooling deep in her belly and she felt a part of herself she'd kept buried for months rise to the surface with a primal growl. She shifted her weight against him, forcing him onto his back so that she could straddle him. May rolled her hips against him experimentally, grinning when she felt him start to harden beneath her.

"Minx," he growled roughly and pulled her down into another fierce kiss. Not to be outdone it would seem, he quickly used his greater stature to force them into another roll and reversed their positions so that he was above her, trailing kisses along her jawline until he came to her neck. He nipped at the flesh of her throat, smiling against her skin when she tossed her head back with a whine. He continued down her neck until he came to the junction of her shoulder and bit down before sucking at the bruising skin there. May swore softly and tangled her shaking hands in his flaming hair as a hot bead of pleasure shot straight down to her core and the heat in her belly started to coil into a heavy pressure. He slid a hand beneath her back, pulling her up so that he could slide her shirt over her head. He went to remove her bra next, but she stopped him with a grin.

"Hey now, let's even things up a little," she said with a husky laugh and made quick work unbuttoning his shirt, despite the fact that her hands were still shaking. With the garment removed she trailed her fingers down his chest, smiling at the coarse spread of hair she found there. She leaned up and pressed her lips against the scar she'd felt earlier. May felt him shiver at that and grew bolder, letting her hands slide further south, tracing the sharp lines of his hips to the hem of his trousers. He chuckled at that and quickly used his weight to pin her back down against the mattress before she could address the bulge straining beneath the fabric.

"Now, now," he said, cutting off her protest before it even began. "I want to take my time here and explore – every – inch – of – you."

He punctuated every word with a kiss, starting at the mark he'd left on her neck and continuing down to the valley between her breasts. With one deft movement he slid his hand beneath her back again and undid the clasp of her brassiere, pulling the straps off of her shoulders with his teeth. May closed her eyes and moaned – he was going to kill her, oh _lord_. He pulled the garment away completely and moved down to her left breast, flicking his tongue over the hardened nipple before taking it completely in his mouth. May threw her head back with a keening whine as he suckled at the sensitive flesh and buried her fingers in his hair again. He pulled away only to move to her right one and repeat the process and she arched herself against him, trying desperately to relieve some of the pressure that was building between her legs. "Maxie – oh – oh please!"

She felt him smirk as dragged his teeth down her sternum and kissed his way down the smooth plane of her stomach until he came to the top of her pants. Propping herself up on her elbows she watched as he hooked his thumbs in the belt loops of her jeans. Immediately she raised her hips, making it easier for him to pull the trousers off so he could toss them on the floor with the growing pile of discarded clothing. He cupped her through her panties and she bucked against his hand, whimpering as she tried to create friction.

"Liked that did you?" he breathed hotly in her ear. Maxie kissed her again, sliding his fingers inside of her underwear to skim against her slit as he did so. She thrust her hips against his hand again, breaking the kiss to plead to him. He smiled that wicked smile of his and slid off her underwear, leaving her completely and utterly exposed. He kissed his way down her torso again and May felt her breathing hitch as he settled between her legs. _Oh holy fuck_ -

He splayed one hand over her lower abdomen to hold her still and flicked his tongue over her clit. May gripped the sheets tightly, biting her lower lip to keep herself from crying out. It was obscene, how good he was making her feel right now. He briefly dipped that teasing tongue of his inside of her and this time she did cry out against the waves of pleasure that startled rippling through her. She bucked beneath his steady hand when his tongue returned to her clit while he slid one finger and then two inside of her, thrusting at a steady pace and occasionally scissoring them in her wet heat.

"Oh, oh god – Maxie right there, don't – don't stop – I - "

The waves of pleasure grew more intense and she felt the pressure coil ever tighter until, finally with a particularly deep thrust of his fingers and a hard lick of his tongue, the dam burst and she was sent over the edge into the throes of an orgasm screaming his name. Through the haze of pleasure she heard him laugh softly as he withdrew his fingers and pulled himself up to gently kiss her. She could taste herself on his lips – it was strangely erotic and she smiled unabashedly in the warm afterglow of her climax. Maxie traced the curve of her hip with his thumb, kissing her softly every once and a while as she tried to regulate her breathing. Eventually her lazy grin turned wicked as she recovered and she traced a finger over the obvious bulge in his pants. "Ready for round two I see."

"Very much so," she said, grinning as she undid the button of his trousers and slid them down his hips, soon followed by his boxers. She took his length in her hand, running her fingers along the shaft with agonizing slowness. He growled, thrusting into her hand and she smiled. She ran a finger over the head, already dripping with precum and brought it up to her mouth, licking off the beads of salty moisture. Wordlessly he seized her in a fierce kiss and she relished the sensation and the heat of her bare skin against his. He returned his attention to her breasts again and soon she was mewling with pleasure under the ministrations of his tongue, bucking her hips against his and feeling the full length of his manhood rubbing against her entrance teasingly. He stilled for a moment, much to her chagrin and struggled to keep his voice even as he spoke.

"May, are you -"

"Yes, took the pill this morning," she ground out, hooking her arms around his neck and drawing him in close. "Please, I _need_ you, now!"

"Far be it from me, to deny a lady," he said, somehow managing to sound debonair despite the fact that they were both naked and panting. Slowly he slid into her wet heat and May closed her eyes against the intense pleasure that rippled through her core as he stretched and filled her. When he was up to the hilt he carefully drew back and then thrust in again. She raised her hips to meet him, helping him set up a steady rhythm.

"_Maximilian_."

The sound of her whispering his full name seemed to strike a chord in him because he growled out her name and thrust deeply, hitting that spot deep within her that made her scream. She felt the pleasure build again and she hovered on the edge, just about ready to fall into the abyss of pleasure again. He hiked her leg over his hip and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Come for me, May."

His voice, so hoarse with pleasure and lust sent her plummeting over the edge into her second orgasm, far more intense than the first, internal walls pulsing as she dragged her nails down his back and called his name over and over. He was quick to follow, thrusting in as deeply as he could before he let out a cry and brought his head down to nestle in the crook of her neck. He cried out her name and she felt a flash of liquid heat as he spilled himself inside of her, sending one last shock of pleasure through her system.

"Don't – don't let this go to your head or anything, but _gods_ that – that was amazing." she panted when he finally regained his breath and pulled out of her. He huffed a laugh and laid down beside her, kissing the tip of her nose.

"You're not so bad yourself," he replied. His gaze softened and May blushed at such a tender look. "You're beautiful."

"Well you're pretty good looking too you know."

"I mean it," he laughed and pulled her into a close embrace. "You're so lovely I can scarce believe you're real sometimes."

"Like I said...I wouldn't be here without you," May replied softly, closing her eyes as she rested her head against her chest. His scent was all around her and she couldn't recall ever feeling so content before. "And I wouldn't want to be here without you either."

He smiled and tucked a lock of sweat-dampened hair behind her ear. She nuzzled his palm, sighing contentedly as he moved it down to her neck, gently massaging the skin there. She had almost slipped into a doze when she shifted position and felt the sticky combination of seamen and vaginal juices coating the inside of her thighs. "Ah...well as lovely as this is, I think I could use a shower," she said and then fired him an impish grin. "You're welcome to join me."

"Oh now that is a tempting prospect."

"It's a two day storm right? At least we've something to do – if an older gentleman such as yourself can keep up with a spry young thing like me of course."

May shrieked a laugh as he growled and pounced upon her, teeth bared in a playful if savage grin. "You'll be eating those words my lovely girl!"

"I've never been one to back down from a challenge _Maximilian_," she fired back. He pulled himself onto his knees and hefted her up into his lap where she wrapped her legs around his waist and settled her hands on his shoulders. Coffee brown met azure blue as she pressed her forehead to his. He was grinning as she whispered breathlessly. "Show me what you've got."

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><p>Two days passed and so did the storm, leaving clear skies and a bright winter sun in its wake. The vast majority of the day had been spent digging out, particularly in the rear yard where the drifts had come up tall and deep, touching the eves of the roof in some places. Maria seemed unfazed by it all and whickered a greeting when they finally managed to dig out the stable door. May fed the plucky creature an apple, stroking her nose and forelock while Maxie climbed onto the roof to ensure that the weight of the snow hadn't caused any structural damage. All in all everything had come through the blizzard fairly intact, save for a few trees that had fallen down near the edge of the treeline and they were made quick work of by Linoone's sharp, slashing claws. After the day's hard work early evening found them both back inside, basking in one another's company on the living room couch. Maxie glanced over at May, who lay stretched out with her legs over his lap and a cup of Earl Grey in hand. She had a pensive look on her face and an odd smile playing about her lips as she gazed into the fire.<p>

Maxie smiled fondly before returning to his book. Oh, how lovely those two days had been.

It had been moving, really, that she'd trusted him so implicitly throughout despite the abuse she'd suffered during their captivity. He hoped that perhaps it was a sign she was finally healing the wounds that weren't seen on her skin and that the emotional hurt was beginning to fade away, if just a little. They'd been fortunate that Cipher had lain quiet, or at least quiet enough to leave them both at peace for the moment, but how much longer that would last was anyone's guess – in any case he doubted Ardos would bow out peacefully which suited a dark part of him just fine; that man would pay for what he'd done with his life and he intended to be the one to collect on the debt. But for now he would enjoy the quiet comforts of his isolation with May while he could.

He felt himself smile and nearly huffed a laugh, he couldn't even think about her without feeling the need to smile it would seem. Tabitha would rib him mercilessly about it no doubt – here he was, the supposedly fearsome leader of Team Magma, once the bane of the League's existence and the number one threat to Hoenn's integrity acting like a green lad of nineteen again. One look from her and he was done, though he doubted she realized just how _much_ of a hold she had over him. His gazed flitted to the leather bound photo album which still lay on the coffee table and smiled sadly. For the first time in a very long while he wished his mother and father had lived to a much older age, to see that their son hadn't fallen completely into darkness and better still to meet the young heroine who'd pulled him back into the light. They would have loved May, of that he was certain – his mother, he thought, would've been especially fond of her. Maxie looked over at May who was still gazing at the hearth with that odd half-smile. Once this was over he would have to take her to Kanto to meet Aileen, show her the old family estate and what was left of said family...perhaps there, he mused, he would make her part of that family.

"What's got you looking so pensive? Happy thoughts I hope."

Maxie was jolted out of his reverie by May's voice and turned to look at her with a smile. "Oh, just thinking about future plans."

"Future plans hm, do tell."

"I was just thinking that I would very much like to take you to Kanto to meet my sister once all of this business is said and done. You two would like each other quite I lot a think and my niece and nephews would certainly adore you."

May blushed prettily at that. "You really think they would like me?"

"May they would _love_ you."

"Then I would very much like to meet them," she replied with a gentle smile. "It would be nice to get to know your family."

"Good, since I intend to make you part of it," he fired back. She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly at his retort and then it seemed to dawn on her. What little shock she showed initially was quickly masked by an impish grin.

"Mr. Asher, are you implying that you intend to _marry_ _me_?" she said teasingly, setting down her tea as she leaned forward to better face him. He set down his book and pulled her up into his lap.

"That is _exactly_ what I intend to do my dear."

"Isn't that a bit presumptuous on your part," she huffed, though her azure eyes screamed mischief as they glittered in the firelight. "Just assuming I'd marry you if you asked."

Maxie leaned back against the couch, placing a hand over his heart as he feigned a pained expression. "Oh please Miss Maple, I don't think my poor old heart could bear the sorrow of your rejection."

"Drama queen," came her dry response accompanied by an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "Hm, I suppose I'd consider it – if you made a proper proposal of course."

"What, on bended knee by candlelight? Or perhaps during a moonlit ride through the winter woods?" he laughed. "Why May I had no idea you catered to such girlish fantasies."

"And you're saying you wouldn't do either of those things hm?" she retorted with a raised eyebrow and a knowing smile. He laughed again and held settled his arms around her waist, nodding to acknowledge his defeat.

"Of course I would."

They lapsed into a companionable silence as May slid off of his lap and curled in next to his side. For a moment he thought she'd fallen asleep until she looked up at him with a smile that was almost shy.

"Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes, I'll marry you."

For one brief moment Maxie felt his heart skip a beat and everything around him became strangely muffled. She was looking up at him with wide, trusting eyes – she'd meant what she'd said, whispered oh so softly. Had she really just said that? Surely he was dreaming, surely she hadn't just agreed to spend the rest of the foreseeable future by his side, surely...His heart finally seemed to catch up with his head and finally settled on a proper rhythm again though it left him gasping for breath.

"Are you -"

She never got the chance to finish her sentence as he pulled her into a tight embrace and set about kissing her as passionately as he could. She returned it in kind and he felt her smile against his lips as he held her.

"You have just made me the happiest man in the world I hope you know," he said breathlessly, nuzzling her neck. She smelled like vanilla and Earl Grey, like bergamont oranges and black tea leaves – it was absolutely intoxicating. "May, I love you so much."

"I know," she said softly, moving to cradle his head against her chest. He could hear it fluttering beneath her ribcage. She threaded her deft fingers through his hair and he couldn't help but let out a pleased sigh at her ministrations. "I love you too. More than I ever thought I could love anyone...I have to admit that, before this whole Cipher debacle started, if someone had told me that I'd be saying yes to marrying Maximilian Asher I think I would've have had to tell them to fuck right off."

"Oh that feeling is mutual believe me," he chuckled. "That I, the great Maxie, should fall for the charms of the most aggravating, self-righteous, meddling slip of a girl – perish the thought. I had no idea what a beautiful creature she really was, with a soul of fire and burnished steel and the most compassionate heart this world has ever seen despite all the darkness it had thrown at her."

May pressed her lips to his forehead and he knew she was smiling again.

"And I had no idea that behind the arrogance, the rage and the fearsome bite that the great Maxie was actually a gentleman at heart, and what a courageous heart it is. I had no idea that he was this gallant soldier boy, who at his core proved to be the one of the most brave and honourable men I have ever met."

Lowering himself down so that he could rest his head on her lap he took the hand she'd had tangled in his hair and pressed a kiss to her palm. "I'm never letting you go, you know that don't you."

"Good, because I intend to stay by your side for quite some time – what with you planning to marry me and all."

She was laughing, but Maxie knew there was a promise in her voice, a promise that whatever happened, she would fight tooth and nail to stay by he side – and he would do the same.

* * *

><p>Dawn arrived with clear skies and the promise of a cold, but calm day now that nature's fury had been spent on the storm. Maxie, as per usual, woke with the sun and smiled sleepily at the young woman still sleeping in his arms...this lovely girl who'd agreed to one day be his wife. She must have felt him move because her eyes fluttered open. Bright blue was tinted gold in the sunlight slanting through the bedroom window. "What time is it?" she mumbled drowsily, closing her eyes against the brightness.<p>

"About seven."

"Too early," she whined, burying her face into the pillow. He laughed and tousled her hair fondly. She glared at him with drowsy eyes. "How are you always so chipper in the morning?"

"Soldier remember," he said with a wry grin. "Go back to sleep. I'm going to take a quick ride around the property to see if there was any major windfall from the storm."

May nodded and rolled onto her stomach, hiding her face in the pillow again. He laughed and placed a kiss on her bare shoulder, but she waved him off with a grunt. "Go, I'll have tea ready by the time you get back."

"Ah, such a thoughtful fiancé I have," he said dryly, though he couldn't help but smile. He attempted to remain as quiet as possible as he pulled on his trousers and a heavy cable-knit turtleneck. His riding coat and boots were picked up downstairs and he pulled on his tweed flatcap as he stepped out the door. His breath misted on the cold morning air, biting at the skin of his face and the inside of his lungs as he inhaled deeply, but rather than discomfort him it brought him to full alertness. Maria pranced in place when she saw him, dressed as he was she knew they were going out for a morning ride which pleased the mare to no end after being cooped up in the stable for so long. He made quick work of saddling her and soon they were breaking trail through the woods at a brisk pace until they came to the clearing at the far northern end of the property. Usually standing at the crest of the bluff, gazing out at the rolling hills and distant mountains made him feel calm and at home, but as he stared at the far away shadow of Mt. Chimney he felt unease growing in the pit of his stomach. The light breeze abruptly changed directions, from west to north and a chill crept up his spine as wisps of loose snow were sent skittering across the banks with an icy hiss. Maria, sensing her rider's trepidation shifted her weight nervously, pulling lightly at the bit as she snorted her discomfort.

The wind died down again and everything became hushed and still again, but inside every survival instinct he possessed was sending up red flags in his mind. Being the war veteran he was, he tended to be naturally paranoid – but that paranoia rarely flared up without good cause and it had kept him alive more than once where ignorance would have landed him an early grave. Carefully, he eased Maria back closer to the treeline, slowly scanning the horizon looking for any sign that something was amiss.

_There_.

It had been quick, so brief that he thought perhaps that he'd imagine the bright, but distant flash from the top of a distant hill. Maria abruptly sidestepped and in doing so saved her rider's skin because a fraction of a second later he heard the crack of a rifle and felt hot metal zip past his cheek, splintering the trunk of of a tall larch behind him.

* * *

><p>No matter how hard she tried May could not fall back asleep, though she remained in bed long after she heard Maxie close the front door behind him. Her lips quirked in a smile at the thought of his last words. Fiancé...how wildly wonderful, that as bad as things had gotten there was a silver lining at the end of it all. She rolled over and saw the clock nearing eight and sighed – he'd be back soon and she <em>did<em> promise him that cup of tea.

She rose, pulling on his discarded housecoat and smiling as his scent enveloped her. Gods she would never get tired of that. Tying her hair up into a messy bun she walked over to the window and gazed out at the yard below.

A scythe-like horn gleamed in the early morning sun, curving bright and terrible above ruby eyes the burned like hellfire. May felt her blood run cold and the weight of the forgotten dream slammed into her chest.

_The earth chose you as its champion...the sea is in chains and the sky is angry...your enemy has an army, so too shall one come to you...your war will be terrible...The war will come to you when it is time. When next I come you must be ready to fly..._

"Maxie," she breathed, bringing her hands in tight against her chest. When she looked out into the yard again the Absol was gone, but what had taken its place brought her far more terror than the doom-saying spirit ever had. Two figures in winter camouflage toting semi-automatic rifles came creeping out of the trees, one said something to the other and split away, circling around to the other side of the house while his partner looked around cautiously. He drew up to full height and May could see the logo stitched onto the sleeve of his coat. "_Cipher_."

* * *

><p>Island Wolf: holy shit did this chapter contain fluff and a smidgen of plot? Why yes, yes it did. For anyone wondering <em>mo gradh<em> is Scots Gaelic and roughly translates to 'my love' or at least it does to the best my memory can recall. It's been a long time since I've heard Scots Gaelic spoken properly so my apologies for that! Also holy hell was it ever difficult to write a proper sex scene, Christ I could stop giggling!

Oh another quick note the line about scars not defining us was inspired by one of my favourite shows, Criminal Minds.


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